The other JJ
by Emma-face
Summary: A new girl joins the gang's form group for 2nd year how will she get on with the group? Will she get on with some better than others, if you get my meaning Better than it might sound Naomily, OC/OC, OC/?
1. Now we have 2

**A/N: **So this is my new OC fic, it's the second year in Roundview and there's a new girl joining their form. How will the gang react to her? I should mention now that this will be femme slash and will contain Naomily so if your offended or just don't like that kind of thing then don't read it but if you do like that kind of thing then I hope you enjoy!

A note to anyone reading my other OC fic If you're Irish, I'm not done or giving up on it I just got this idea and got really excited about it so I had to write it! I'm working loads and really unsociable hours at the moment so I will try to update all my fics ASAP

Now on with the story! Please review and tell me what you think.

* * *

Emily woke early on that Monday morning, remembering the previous year's events and how Katie had spent an hour in the bathroom using all the hot water and stealing her outfit; that wouldn't happen again this year. She quickly silenced her alarm and headed to the bathroom for a hot shower. Katie was still softly snoring when she returned dressed in a towel, her red hair dripping around her shoulders. She moved to the other bed and knelt beside her sister.

"Katie." She said softly. Her sister stirred but didn't waken.

"Katie!" She said a bit louder this time and the older twin opened her eyes to glare at her sister.

"What?" She growled. Emily had woken her from the best dream. She was queen of Roundview and two fit boys were literally fighting for her attention while 6 others stood topless fanning her and feeding her grapes.

"Get up. We start back to college today." Emily gave a small smile then moved back to her side of their bedroom to get ready. The summer had not passed without its difficulties. Emily had to fight to get Katie and her parents to accept Naomi as her partner and Katie had to fight to reclaim her favour among her friends. But things were better now, mostly.

"Do we have to?" She groaned, brushing her wavy brown hair out of her eyes. Over the summer Katie had made the decision to darken her hair, while Emily had opted to stay a red head. It was part of their new, we're twins but we're different thing.

"Yes." Emily insisted, rolling her eyes. Katie gave a heavy sigh and threw the covers back. If she had to return to college after the events of the Love Ball you would be damn sure she was going to do it in style. She shuffled to the bathroom hoping a shower would wake her up.

Emily dried her hair straight and chose and outfit; a cute skirt and shirt combination with a nice pair of pumps. Katie chose some tight jeans and a low cut leopard print top; some things would never change.

There would be no lift in Danny's Renault Megane coupé this year. This year they would walk to college like everyone else. This year when they started they were already known as that gay girl and her twin sister who Effy Stonem hit on the head with a rock. Though they had, sort of, made their peace with Effy there would be no stopping the rumours and the whispers in the corridors. Luckily for Katie she was practised in dealing with such things. As they approached the college gates she drew a deep breath and stood up tall, walking into the place like she owned it. That attitude alone was enough so set half the fist years shaking in their shoes. Again Emily found herself envying her sister for her ability to interact with her peers and deal with situations like this. With a small sigh she shook her head and followed Katie. Maybe a lot of things would never change.

-

As it turned out not much was different about being a second year other than you already knew where all of your classes were. Kieran announced that there would be a new girl joining their form group but she was not at registration. This left everyone wondering and speculating about her. Cook stretched his arms out in front of him in anticipation for new game. JJ innocently wondered what she would be like and the possibility of her liking him. Katie secretly feared the girl would be another Effy Stonem, another contender for Queen Bee at Roundview.

"And as if that wasn't enough, wait till you hear this bollocks!" Kieran ranted in his thick Northern Irish accent. "They're forcing us to teach you hopeless cretins 'Life Skills' yes on your timetables you will see an extra class. During that time you will come here and I will try and instil in you the qualities of worthwhile human beings. Although for some of you I fear it may be too late."

A chorus of groans echoed round the class.

"I don't like it anymore than you but that's Doug!" He sighed and sat back down. "When the bell rings you can go." He informed them leaning back in his chair and closing his eyes.

Their first class was basically the same for all of them regardless of what subject it was. The teachers had stood at the front of the class and showed them a graph exhibiting the correlation between class attendance and good exam results. They were then urged to come to every class no matter what else was going on that might be more interesting or simply less educational.

"Thank God that's over." She muttered to herself as she exited the classroom and headed towards her locker. She had a free period now. Thirty blissful minutes with which she could do whatever she wanted.

"Are you looking at me?" A female voice at the locker beside her said in an accusing tone. It took her a while before she realised the voice was addressing her.

"What?" She turned, her brow furrowed in confusion, to face the owner of the voice. The owner was a chavy looking blonde girl who was wearing far too much makeup and none of it was working for her.

"You were looking at me weren't you?" She squared up to Emily. Three girls who looked just liked her stood behind her.

"No I wasn't." Emily stammered defensively. She couldn't have been looking at her; her head was stuffed in her locker for fuck's sake.

"Yes you were you pervy lezzer bitch." The blonde sneered while her friends behind her chuckled.

"I...I...I wasn't." Emily stuttered. She knew things like this would happen but she never actually prepared herself for when they did.

"Oh please!" A scathing voice on the other side of Emily scoffed. "She might be gay but she still has standards."

"What?" The girl exclaimed.

"You heard me." The red head smirked. "From what I hear your number's on so many bathroom walls it surprises me you haven't hired a secretary."

The blonde looked shocked that someone was standing up to her. She opened her mouth to retaliate but couldn't think of anything to say to she settled for glaring at this new girl and storming off with her clones following close behind. Emily turned to look at the girl who had just jumped to her rescue.

"Word of advice; if you're going to be out in an environment like this you should learn some better comebacks." She closed her locker and smiled at Emily.

"Uh...thanks." Emily shrugged. "You really didn't have to do that."

"Narrow minded people like that are the scum of the earth. They need to be put in their place." The girl shrugged. Emily took her in for the first time. She was definitely new here. She had naturally red almost auburn hair that Emily would kill for and she wore a short black denim skirt with tights and a pair of biker boots. She had an air about her that said she didn't give a fuck what people thought of her. Emily envied that.

"Are you the new girl then?" She couldn't stop herself from asking. She definitely would have remembered seeing this girl in the hallways.

"Yes." She blushed slightly. "Is it that obvious?"

"No I just don't recognise you." Emily shrugged.

"I'm JJ." Emily did a double take.

"Jesse, Jesse James Henessy." She chuckled. "Don't ask, my parents thought it was a cool name."

"I'm Emily." She said through a chuckle. "Emily Fitch."

"It's nice to meet you Emily Fitch." She smiled and shook the twin's hand. The bell rang to tell them to get to their next class.

"You too." She smiled because she really meant it. There was something refreshing about this new girl. Emily wanted to get to know her better.

"So where are you off to now?" Jesse inquired.

"I'm free now."

"Me too. I missed my first class, History, because Doug wanted to get to know me so he could help me feel like part of the Roundview crew...I think I would have preferred to be in class." She giggled.

"Yes Doug is all about interacting with the students. That won't be the last you see of him either." Emily laughed.

"I gathered he might be a little eccentric when I read the Welcome to Roundview brochure. He really is down with the kids." She said in a mocking tone. The two girls had begun walking aimlessly down the hall.

"Well you didn't miss much in History, I was just there. If you wanted I could show you around now, seeing as we're both free." Emily suggested, jumping at the chance to spend more time with the new girl.

"Really?" JJ sounded thrilled at the idea; Emily wasn't used to people being thrilled at the idea of spending time with her. "That would be great. I hate being new."

"No problem." Emily shut her locker and they headed off down the corridor to explore the sights and sounds of Roundview.

-

When the bell rang for lunch Emily waited by her locker for JJ, she figured the girl wouldn't want to eat alone so she was planning on introducing her to the gang. They head out the side doors to the courtyard and the outside benches wanting to make to most of the last of the sunshine.

"Thanks for this, you really don't have to." Jesse smiled at Emily.

They approached a table where a curly haired boy was sitting watching three trays of food. Emily sat down facing him and Jesse took the seat next to her. JJ looked up and smiled brightly at the two.

"This will be fun actually." Emily chuckled. "JJ this is JJ. JJ, JJ." She laughed gesturing back and forth between the pair. Jesse laughed.

"This could be complicated."

"It's nice to meet you." JJ extended his hand to the girl. They were joined by the girls as Freddie and Cook reappeared across the courtyard.

"Alright." Naomi greeted them as she sat down and placed a possessive arm around her girlfriend.

"Who's this then?" Katie asked, wondering how her sister had managed to befriend the new girl when she had been looking out for her all day. She hoped Emily hadn't done anything too uncool around her and fucked up their chances of having a new friend.

"This is JJ; the new girl joining our form group." Emily announced as Cook and Freddie took their seats beside the male JJ.

"Wicked now we have two!" Cook chuckled as he eyed up the new girl. She was rather pleasing to the eye. He would definitely sleep with her.

"JJ this is Naomi, Katie, Effy, Pandora, Freddie and Cook." Each of them gave a wave or a hello when they were introduced. JJ looked around trying to commit all their names and faces to memory. Naomi was Emily's girlfriend and Katie was her twin so they were easy enough to remember. Freddie was the scruffy looking skater with olive skin and Pandora was the girl with the bunches in her hair. Cook was, as his tattoo proclaimed, a typical Jack the lad and beside him was Effy, the brunette with the sad eyes. And of course the curly haired boy was JJ, the one with the same name as her.

"Hi." She smiled at the many people staring at her. A blush crept up her neck as she felt like she was on show.

"So JJ how do you like Roundview so far? And how come you weren't in registration this morning?" Pandora asked with the inquisitive nature of a child.

"It seems like any other school really. Except for Doug. He's definitely something else. That's why I didn't make it to registration this morning, or to my first class, he wanted to spend some time 'chilling' and getting to know each other." She rolled her eyes. Everyone nodded, they'd all been through the Doug interview.

"What subjects are you taking?" Katie asked, wondering if she would have any classes alone with the girl.

"Uh...History, Maths, Biology, Chemistry and Sociology." She shifted uncomfortably in her seat, she really didn't like having all this attention focused on her. "We really don't have to talk about me for all of lunch. We could talk about something else. Really!" She said insistently.

"Sorry. Not much happens here." Effy looked deep into Jesse's blue eyes. "Fresh blood always causes a bit of a stir." She said pointedly, ending her sentence by lighting a cigarette.

"We can talk about something else though." Emily suggested, not wanted to make Jesse feel any more uncomfortable than she already did about being new.

"We should probably clear one thing up first though." Jesse stated. "What do your Js stand for?" She asked the boy facing her.

"Jonah Jeremiah." He smiled cheerfully. "Yours."

"I'd rather not say." She said, casting a knowing glance at Emily that didn't go unnoticed by Effy who looked between them thoughtfully. "Well since you were here first you should really get to keep the name JJ."

"Thanks." He replied, thinking it was the appropriate response.

"We could call you girl JJ." Cook suggested with a giddy laugh.

"Or just Jay, singular." She suggested with a shrug. "Or you can call me Jesse. Whatever you feel like."

"Well now that that's sorted." Katie said firmly, sitting up straight to exhibit her self-proclaimed dominance over the clique. "Who is up for a party this weekend?"


	2. Curiosity killed the cat

After a few days back at college they felt like they had never left. It was exactly the same as the previous year only with more work and, of course, JJ the new girl. It was first period after lunch on Wednesday and it was time for their first life skills class with Kieran. He looked as unhappy about it as they did. Jesse was sitting in the free seat next to Effy; much to Katie's displeasure as she had been hoping for an opportunity to convince the girl she was the cooler twin since JJ had obviously taken quite a shine to her sister.

"So what do the Js stand for then?" Effy inquired raising her eyebrows at the red head.

"Why do you need to know?" She countered with a smirk.

"Just curious." The brunette shrugged. There was something about this girl that intrigued her; a story hidden behind her blue eyes.

"Curiosity killed the cat." She said pointedly then shook her head. "That's not actually true, I killed the cat because it kept asking what the Js in my name stood for."

Effy laughed. Katie strained her neck to look behind her to see what they were laughing about. Though she had made her peace with Effy over the Gobbler's end incident she still felt wary of the girl. Not because she was liable to hit her over the head with another rock, that would only happen if Effy was high on shrooms and Katie had her hands around her neck, but because she had the ability to take away everything that was important to Katie.

"Alright then at least tell me why you don't want everyone to know. I say everyone because Emily knows so it must be a selective thing. It can't be that bad, I mean Jessica is a pretty average name." She mused.

"It's not Jessica, just Jesse." She shook her head. "And I'm not telling because I don't want to." She smiled at Effy with an impish glint in her eyes.

"Alright folks." Kieran drew their attention. "Today we have to joy of learning about...the importance of working in a team." He rolled his eyes and sighed heavily. "And oh good there's a booklet."

He passed the booklets around to everyone.

"Now what am I supposed to do?" He said reading his instructions from a sheet provided by Doug. "Read the booklet and complete the team building exercises provided." He read monotonously.

"Well I'm not doing that." He scanned the sea of faces before him. "You, son of Picasso, yeah you read the first page to the rest of the class." Kieran leaned back in his chair as the boy read the first page.

"In the real world you will be expected to work as a member of a team on a daily basis. Working as a member a team is important as it insures the efficient functioning of..."

"So are you coming out with us this weekend then?" Effy tuned out the boring passage the boy was reading and turned her attention to more interesting things, like JJ.

"I don't know." She shrugged. The group of friends had been genuinely welcoming towards her over the past few days but she didn't want them to feel like they had to invite her places because she didn't have any friends. She did, just none of them attended Roundview. "I might have plans."

"You might have plans?" Effy raised an eyebrow, picking up on the sceptical tone in her voice.

"Yeah, with my girlfriend. I'm not sure though a lot of plans I've been making with her recently have been getting cancelled." She tried not to sound bitter about it.

"Well if you're not doing anything you should come out. It will be fun." She gave Jesse a devilish smile. JJ couldn't help but notice how enticing it looked.

"Maybe." She gave an equally devilish smile.

-

"Ready for the weekend boys?" Cook asked excitedly, running his hands together in anticipation. "Cook's annual return to Roundview party!"

"I don't think you can describe it as an annual even when you didn't have one last year and won't be here to hold one next year. It's really more of a one off return to Roundview party." JJ explained. Cook stared at the boy and just shrugged and shook his head.

"It's a party man! Who gives a fuck about the technicalities?" He rolled his eyes. "Freddie man you were in charge of the invites, is everyone coming?"

"I think so." He shrugged. He wasn't really too bothered about the whole thing so he just started a half hearted rumour about there being a party in Cook's house and trusted the Beauty Therapy girls to spread it around.

"Excellent! Is that new girl coming?" He asked licking his lips. "I'm gagging to get stuck into her, know what I mean?" He winked and made indecent gestures at JJ who looked disturbed.

"I don't think that's going to happen Cook." He said doubtfully. He was sort of glad it wouldn't happen; he didn't want the girl who shared his name to hook up with Cook.

"Why not?" He sounded offended.

"Weren't you listening the other day when she was talking?" JJ asked. Cook's blank stare answered for him.

"She's gay!" Freddie sighed, knowing it probably wouldn't stop him making a pass at the girl.

"Really?" He looked giddy at the thought. "Threesome." He smirked.

"Not going to happen." Freddie rolled his eyes.

"We'll see." Cook loved a challenge.

-

By the time Friday rolled around the whole year was talking about Cook's party, his friends however weren't so enthusiastic. They were afraid it would turn out like his birthday party the previous year. They gathered round a table at lunchtime on Friday, Cook was absent as he had important things to take care of for the party; no one had really argued when he excused himself.

"If I hear one more BT chick babble about the Cook's fucking party tonight I will not be held accountable for my actions." Naomi growled as she took a seat with everyone else.

"I know!" Katie rolled her eyes; even she was fed up with it. "It's probably not even going to be that good anyway."

"Yes but it's a party." Effy mused. "And there's not a lot else happening round here since the new girl turned out to be so lacklustre." She smirked at JJ whose jaw dropped in mock indignation.

"Well if I'm so lacklustre how come you're so desperate to get me to this party?" She raised an eyebrow at the brunette at the other end of the table.

"Like I said, there's not much happening around here." She smiled and something flashed in her blue eyes. Naomi watched the back and forth trying to figure out whether they really were flirting or if she was reading too much into the conversation.

"Are you coming Jay?" Emily asked her new friend.

"Don't know yet." She replied dismissively. "You don't have to keep inviting me to be polite you know."

"Don't be stupid we want you there." Katie scoffed. Naomi's head snapped around to looked at the now brunette twin. Katie was being genuinely welcoming to a newcomer and Effy was soberly flirting with girls; she was definitely through the looking glass.

"Well in that case I might just show up. Couldn't turn you down now, could I Katie?" She winked at the girl.

"A word of warning if you do come...Cook's going to be trying it on with you all night." Freddie gave her a friendly word of advice. Jesse looked confused.

"Doesn't he know I'm gay?"

"He does." JJ answered matter-of-factly. "But that hasn't appeared to deter him."

"Yeah his ego is big enough to make him believe you will turn for him." Freddie laughed. Jesse chuckled slightly; even if she was straight the chances of her sleeping with Cook would be slim.

"Well thanks for the heads up." She smiled at the boys. The bell rang signalling the end of lunch and they got up to go their separate ways.

"Maybe see you later." Jesse smiled as she walked away.

**A/N:** I know this chapter was a bit on the short side and a bit filler-ish but I wanted to publish something in case I don't get an update out befoe Christmas! The next chapter - the party will make up for it hopefully! =]


	3. Cook's special punch

As much as they tried to deny it by the time Friday night rolled around they were a little bit excited about Cook's party. It would be the first time in a long time that they would all be together and at a party with everyone on speaking terms. There were no more secrets or lies and no more competition so this party had the potential to be the start of something amazing; their final year at college.

"Are you nearly ready?" Katie asked her sister impatiently. She stood in the mirror reapplying her lip gloss while Emily was still getting changed.

"Yes." Emily huffed and rolled her eyes. She smoothed her dress over her tights and turned to face her sister. "Happy now?"

"Extremely now come on, Naomi will be here soon and you don't want her to have to come in and talk to mum and dad now, do you?" Katie smiled falsely. Emily nodded. Her sister had a point, while Rob and Jenna had accepted the fact that she was gay and Naomi was her partner they weren't exactly thrilled about it which led to strained conversations and awkward silences.

"Where are you two off to all dressed up?" Their dad asked when they ran down the stairs.

"Just a party, you know a back to school thing." Katie smiled sweetly.

"A party?" He smiled, but his forehead tightened with worry. He didn't like the idea of his daughters going to parties, he knew what they were like, he used to go to parties when he was younger. He did not like the idea of them growing up one bit.

"Yes dad a party." Katie rolled her eyes.

"There won't be any alcohol or boys or anything else unsavoury going on at this party will there?"

"Of course not." They answered in unison, putting on their most innocent faces. The doorbell rang and they hurried towards it.

"Don't be staying out too late." He called after them.

"We won't!" Emily shouted back, as if their parents would ever know what time they got home at.

Naomi was waiting on the door step for them; she breathed a sigh of relief when Katie opened the door and not Rob or Jenna.

"Ready to go?" She asked with a smile. She had been making a conscious effort to make a better effort with Katie and it turned out it wasn't that hard, she wasn't so bad when she wasn't being a complete bitch.

"Oh yeah." Katie answered with a mischievous grin.

-

When they arrived they discovered what Cook had spent all afternoon doing, removing all the furniture from his house with the exception of a few couches and chairs and of course beds. He had set up speakers in every room and even went as far as to set up little strobe lights in the living room and fairy lights in the kitchen. There were coolers filled with ice scattered everywhere and tables full of plastic cups. After he finished all that he had spent almost an hour mixing up some Cook punch; a potion loaded with so much alcohol and a combination of drugs that one glass was guaranteed to free your mind, body and spirit.

Katie was relieved to find Freddie, JJ and a few others were there already. She didn't mind arriving and spending some time with Emily and Naomi but the thought of spending an entire evening with the sickly sweet couple made her want to gag.

"Welcome ladies to the party of the year." Cook greeted them with open arms and a boyish grin. "Even if I do say so myself. Please come in and let's get fucking smashed, help yourselves to anything I want everyone to have a proper good time." He winked.

The girls shrugged and headed off to get themselves a beverage; none of them were brave enough to risk the punch just yet. Freddie and a few other skater looking people were passing around a spliff; Katie took a seat in their company.

"Alright JJ?" Emily smiled at the curly haired boy who had just finished doing one of his magic tricks to a small audience.

"Hi Emily." He smiled at her.

"Cook's set this up quite well hasn't he?" Naomi sounded impressed.

"Yes, I was quite surprised. Personally I didn't think he had these kinds of planning and organisation skills in him but when faced with the prospect of a party he has performed well." He gave a small chuckle.

"You're right." Emily chuckled too. Apparently when a party or sex was at stake Cook could be quite the mastermind.

The drinks flowed and the music blared and all sorts of drugs were consumed then the party really was in full swing. In every room people were dancing and swaying while others gathered in groups talking and laughing. Most of the year had actually turned up for the party which thrilled Cook to no end. He wandered around chatting up the females and joking with the males and smiled with glee as all of them congratulated him on his amazing party.

-

It was close to 12 when Effy spotted Jesse coming though the door and looking a little lost in the living room. She moved past the dancing bodies in the middle of the floor to meet her.

"I take it your plans fell through." She said wisely. Jay gave a pissed off laugh.

"Something like that." She said, her lips pulled taught against her teeth. She really didn't want to talk about it; especially with someone she just met. Effy picked up on that instantly.

"Come on then, let's not waste the evening, let's get wasted." She raised an eyebrow at the redhead who nodded and smiled at her.

"That sounds like a plan."

Effy took her by the hand and led her across the room to a table filled with plastic cups and a bowlful of liquid of indeterminable colour.

"Cook has brewed this punch and it comes with a good time guarantee."

"What's in it?" Jay looked at it dubiously.

"It's maybe best we don't know." She chuckled and filled them a glass each.

"Is it safe?" She asked with a laugh as she accepted the cup.

"Probably." Effy answered after an uncertain pause. JJ shrugged.

"Cheers." She put the cup to her lips and swallowed a few large gulps. Her stomach wretched; her body was telling her it wanted nothing to do with this concoction.

"Ugh...This tastes like..." There were no words to describe it. Jesse grimaced.

"I know." Effy shuddered. Still they both brought the cup to their lips for a second time, hoping it would soon kick in and they'd feel suitably inebriated.

"Hello ladies you're looking incredibly sexy tonight." He looked them both up and down. Effy was wearing skin tight grey jeans and an old band t-shirt that fell off her small frame. Her hair was wavy and her heavy eye makeup made her eyes look a haunting shade of grey. JJ was wearing a long a long off white vest with skulls and a macabre clown face on it over tights with a pair of 6 inch heels.

"Especially you girl JJ." He licked his lips and nodded. "I tell you if I was as far in you as I am from you I'd be happy." He smirked at his clever line.

"That's...never gonna happen." Jesse laughed and shook her head at the vulgar line he had just spun. "But you keep trying if you want." She took Effy's hand and walked away, leaving him giggling. He liked the new girl, even if she wouldn't sleep with him.

"He probably will keep trying." Effy mused when she stopped giggling.

"I'll survive, he's harmless really. I think his head just doesn't know when to tell his mouth to shut up." JJ mused. Without meaning to they had ended up in the middle of the dancing crowd. As the punch stated to take hold of their bodies the bass line pumped through them and they moved in fluid motion to the beat; separately at first but the music pulled them closer together. The room was spinning and the lights flashed such pretty colours. JJ was grinning and Effy was noticing how nice she looked when she smiled. Effy closed her eyes and swayed to the rhythm, her hips moved with Jesse's who felt startled by their proximity. She watched as the brunette released her inhibitions and just moved. She looked so free. The song changed and they both came back down to earth, creating a bit of space between them again.

"Well the punch certainly seems to work." JJ laughed. She felt like she was buzzing.

"Shall we have another?" Effy asked, it sounded like a challenge. Jesse shrugged and went along with Effy.

Katie watched the exchange from across the room wondering what the two were talking about. They seemed very close, at least they were dancing very close. She wanted more than ever to have a proper conversation with the girl so she could show her she was just as cool as Effy Stonem.

"Hey you made it." Emily cried excitedly when she saw Jesse at the punch bowl. She threw her arms around the red head and hugged her. Naomi felt an unnecessary twinge of jealousy.

"Yeah, turns out I didn't have anything better to do after all." She half laughed. Katie saw her chance to get into the conversation.

"Hey." She greeted them as she stood beside her sister and Naomi.

"Told you I wouldn't disappoint you." JJ winked at the girl and raised her glass to her with a smile. Katie felt oddly flustered. She was used to flirty banter from guys but it was different coming from a girl.

"You didn't." She replied with a smirk. "Oh my God are you actually drinking that punch?" She wrinkled her nose at the thought. JJ and Effy giggled and nodded.

"What is even in it?" Naomi looked at it questionably.

"Um...I'm not sure, from the taste I'd hazard a guess and say the main ingredient is vodka." Jesse shrugged.

"Along with God knows what else." Emily added.

"It's not that bad. We're not dead yet so..." JJ crossed her fingers and smiled. The other girls laughed.

"You should try some. It definitely does the trick." Effy suggested with a sidelong glance at JJ who smiled at her.

"Yeah it's certainly...effective."

The other three girls looked at the bowl considering whether or not they were brave enough to try it.

"Why not?" Katie shrugged and filled a cup. "You only live once."

"That's the spirit." Effy cheered encouragingly.

"Katie!" Emily sounded both shocked and pissed off.

"Lighten up Ems it's just a drink, I doubt there's anything in it that we haven't tried before." Katie sighed and swallowed a mouthful of the stuff. She immediately wished she hadn't; it was disgusting. Effy and Jesse couldn't help but giggle at her reaction.

"There's no harm in trying." Naomi shrugged and had a go herself. Emily glared at her girlfriend.

"Come on Ems." JJ said in a soothing voice as she held a cup out to her. "I promise not to let anything bad happen."

Emily hesitantly accepted the cup. She gulped it down trying not to think about what was in it or how bad it tasted.

"That's more like it." Effy smiled when Emily handed back the empty cup. She follow suit and downed the remaining content of her glass.

With so many chemicals pulsing through their bodies the girls made their way to the middle of the floor and danced. They felt positively giddy as they danced and swayed and spun to the sounds coming out of the speakers. The room seemed to move with the tempo of each track that played and everything seemed to shine. JJ felt the residual anger and hurt from the argument with her girlfriend melt away into relaxed vibes and giddy feeling. By the end of the night it was like it had never happened. She danced with Katie feeling the brunette twin move closer and press their hips together. Katie had no idea that she was doing it her body moved of its own accord and her brain just went with it. Effy snaked her arms around the new girls waist as Emily and Naomi were locked onto each other. Katie wandered off to dance with some random fit boy and JJ turned to face Effy. Effy looked up into her crystal blue eyes to find they were almost completely black; the girl was so out of it. But the smile on her face was so genuine she looked so cute. JJ felt those increasingly familiar grey eyes pull her in. The pain behind them and all the things they saw that no one else did overwhelmed her and held her down; like she was drowning in them but she didn't want to do anything to stop it happening.

The beat of the music started to slow down as the rooms started to empty out. Their fast paced grinding turned to slow swaying as more chilled out songs played. They eventually fell onto a sofa beside Pandora and Thomas. All of them lay up like a layer of kittens, arms and legs intertwined; none of them wanted the night to end.

"This is the start of something amazing!" Cook said as he sat down with the rest of the group after clearing out the last few hangers on. "I can feel it."

Everyone nodded; they could feel it too, this year was going to be something.


	4. More life skills

Cook's party was on the lips of everyone when they went back to school; it seemed his wish of throwing the party of the year had been fulfilled. Although after a week of hearing the same rumours and stories about the party everyone was thoroughly sick of it.

"Something else needs to happen!" Katie exclaimed over lunch. "I can't listen to one more person speculate over who I was kissing at the party."

"Who _were_ you kissing?" Naomi smirked.

"I don't fucking know do I? I was off my face on that bloody punch." She huffed in frustration.

"That's your fault." Emily narrowed her eyes at Jesse playfully.

"It is not!" She replied defensively. "What's that old adage, you can lead a girl to the punch bowl but you can't make her drink."

Effy and Naomi laughed. The bell signalling the end of lunch sounded over them.

"I guess we'll just have to speculate over this another time." Jesse joked as everyone got up to clear their table. "You still coming to my place after school?" She asked Naomi and Emily.

They nodded and Effy eyed her curiously. Jesse rolled her eyes and chuckled, linking arms with the brunette and leading her towards the door.

"Come on we don't want to be late."

-

Their next class was life skills with Kieran. Jesse took her usual seat beside Effy; she could have sworn she heard Katie hissing a question at Emily about why they were going to her house. The red head leaned back in her chair and stretched her legs out in front of her as far as they would go. Effy on the other hand crossed her feet and tucked them behind one of the legs of her chair.

"I wonder what fascinating skill we will be learning today?" The brunette pondered catching the other girl's eye.

"Probably some bull shit about knowing the real you." Jay giggled.

"Or how to cope with stress."

"That's always a favourite." Jesse mused. "They tend to save it for before exam time though."

Effy nodded wisely. Again Katie was sat in front of them her ears pricked for any conversation she might over hear. A part of her brain was telling her she was being more than a little bit crazy but she chose to ignore it in favour of the other part that was screaming at her to get to know the new girl.

"Katie are you even listening to me?" He sister's voice prevented her from further eavesdropping.

"Yes." She blinked.

"Then what did I say?" She pouted, knowing Katie had been miles away.

"I don't know something about...lesbianism." She shrugged. Naomi burst out laughing on the other side of Emily, earning her a glare from the red haired twin. She quickly stifled her laugh.

"Not quite." She said stiffly. "I said we're going over to Jesse's house after school to work on a History project, can you let mum know where I am?"

"Oh sure no problem." She nodded, a little pissed that her sister would be spending more time with the new girl.

"Alright cretins, today we will be learning about and developing skills in the field of...emotional awareness." Kieran literally fell into his seat in despair. He didn't want to be aware of his own feelings never mind the feelings of a bunch of 17 year olds. He continued to read from his instructions page morosely.

"After this class you will be able to evaluate and articulate your own feelings as well as becoming more sensitive to the feelings of others. Doesn't that sound fucking great?" He said sarcastically as he passed around the handouts.

"You've got to be kidding me." Effy scoffed as she read the list activities which they were to complete in groups of two. "Describe how you feel when you are happy. What the fuck?" They giggled.

"I drew a smiley face." JJ grinned and showed her the picture. "Visual aid."

"Why do you think a lot of young people rely on drugs or alcohol to make themselves feel good?" Jesse read out loud.

"Vibrator ran out of batteries." Effy shrugged.

"There's no need to turn to drugs Effy I'll help you out...lend you some batteries if you need them." JJ winked.

"Give me a hand will you?" Effy asked pouting and making a lewd gesture with her hand. Two pairs of blue eyes met and they fell about into loud fits of giggling. Most of the class turned to stare at them. Jesse was doubled over the table shaking with laughter while Effy's head hung back over her chair as she released uncontrollable belly laughs. Kieran sighed.

"I don't know what you two are laughing at; I don't want to know what you're laughing at just pull yourselves together please."

"Sorry Kieran." They answered in unison, wiping the tears from their eyes and struggling to regain their composure.

"What was that all about?" Naomi muttered to Emily who shrugged.

-

"Ready to go?" Jesse asked when she met Naomi and Emily at her locker. Naomi smiled and nodded.

"Are you sure your parents won't mind us coming round?" Emily asked.

"It's just my Dad and trust me he won't mind at all." JJ rolled her eyes as they headed out of the building and walked the short distance to her house. The conversation on the way was casual and mostly small talk. The way Emily and Naomi finished each other's sentences and generally the way they acted together was nauseatingly cute. They reached the front door of a moderately sized semi detached house not far from where Effy and Pandora live.

"I'm home." Jesse shouted.

"Jess!" A male voice resonated from down the hall. The girls followed JJ into the kitchen where her dad was standing over a cook book wearing an apron with his face contorted in confusion. He was a tall, dark haired man with a slightly receding hairline and a welcoming face.

"What are you doing?" She asked in shock.

"I'm _trying_ to make parmesan and chorizo stuffed chicken breasts with creamy mash but these instructions read like Mattie wrote them." He sighed. Emily and Naomi exchanged a smirk.

"Good luck with that." Jesse laughed moving to the fridge and taking out 3 bottles of water. "We'll be in the living room working on a project. Do me and favour and try to keep Mattie out."

"Not a problem. He's out in the garden anyway, making dessert." He said proudly.

"Mud pies?" Jesse smiled as she peered out the window.

"Mud pies." Her father nodded. "Hello by the way." He greeted the two girls who were watching in shock at Jesse's relationship with her father. It was like they were friends.

"Hi." They smiled nervously.

"Dad this is Naomi and Emily." A look of realisation came across his face.

"I'm Jude." He smiled. "Are you staying for dinner? We have plenty of chicken."

"Uh...no, sorry. I have to be back home by 5." Emily smiled apologetically at the man who looked crestfallen.

"What about you?" He turned hopefully to Naomi.

"No Dad she doesn't want to stay either." Jesse rolled her eyes impatiently in the doorway.

"Some other time maybe." He shrugged and returned to stuffing his chicken.

"Yeah, maybe." Emily assured him before following Naomi and Jesse into the living room.

"And you thought he'd have a problem with you coming over." JJ chuckled as she dropped onto the sofa.

"He's nice." Emily felt obliged to comment.

"He's different but as parents go he's ok. He's easy to talk to and doesn't mind me drinking or having people round and he's totally supportive of me being gay too." She shrugged. She knew as far as parents went she'd basically won the lottery. They took out their books and tried to spend an honest hour working on their project about the Second World War. They managed to form a basic structure and plan for their project before Naomi excused herself to go to the bathroom.

"That was fast." Jesse chuckled without looking up when the door opened again only a minute or so later.

"What the fuck?" A voice that didn't belong to Naomi demanded. Emily looked up at the pretty, petite blonde standing in the doorway and assumed she must be Jesse's girlfriend. She felt nervous and intimidated by her.

"Amy." Jesse sighed and turned to face her. "What are you doing here?"

"Me? What are you doing? Who is this?" She shouted.

"This is Emily, from my history class." JJ explained monotonously.

"I'll bet that's all she is too." Amy spat, shooting Emily a look that sent a shiver down her spine; and not in a good way.

"What's going on?" A voice that did belong to Naomi demanded when she walked in and heard someone yelling at her girlfriend.

"And who is she?"

"Calm down, paranoid mc crazy!" JJ was starting to sound annoyed now. She crossed the room to where Amy and Naomi were. "This is Naomi, Emily's girlfriend who is also in my history class."

Amy looked between the two girls as Naomi sat down on the floor beside Emily and put a comforting arm around her. Her face fell a bit when she realised she was most likely wrong in her shouting and accusations.

"Can I talk to you outside for a second?" JJ asked, her cheeks flushing red at the fact her new friends had just been subjected to that. Amy silently followed her out of the room.

"What the hell was that all about?" She asked when she'd shut the door. She looked at her girlfriend like she had lost her mind.

"I...It...You were in there with some strange girl you've never told me about and you think I'm the one who should be explaining?" She tried to turn it round on JJ.

"Yes. If you had called and let me know you were coming over I could have told you to come later. Or if you had answered any of _my_ calls this weekend then maybe I'd have known you were coming round. Maybe if you listened to anything I said you would know who those two girls in the living room were." Jesse pinched the bridge of her nose and took a deep breath.

"Are you cheating on me?" Amy asked flatly.

"Am I cheating on you?" Jesse had to laugh.

"I don't see how it's funny." Her girlfriend scowled.

"You don't answer my calls, you don't show up for dates and yet you randomly show up here when I'm working on a school project with my friends who are a couple by the way and you think I'm cheating on you." She was still laughing; it was all she could do to keep from getting upset. "No Amy I'm not cheating on you."

The blonde opened her mouth to argue some more but Jesse stopped her.

"Look can we not do this now; I have guests in the other room." She looked away in anger. "Why don't you go home or something and come back here later tonight when you've calmed the fuck down!" She said making it clear it wasn't a suggestion.

"Fine!" Amy huffed as she stormed past her to get to the front door. "You enjoy your little threesome." She snarled as she slammed the door shut.

"What was that all about?" Jude asked from the kitchen door.

"Just Amy being...Amy." She answered shaking her head. "We can talk at dinner." She assured him before taking another deep breath and heading back into the living room.

"I am so sorry about that! She was damn out of line. I didn't even know she was coming." She said sincerely. "Emily are you ok?"

"I'm fine." She nodded and forced a smile. "Are you ok?"

"Don't worry about me, I've met her, I know what she's like. She should never have acted like that though I'm really sorry." She didn't think there'd be a time in the future when she would stop apologising to Emily about how her crazy girlfriend had acted.

"Please stop apologising." She insisted.

"Sorry." Now she was apologising for apologising. She bit her lip and nodded.

"I take it that was your girlfriend then?" Naomi asked in an effort to lighten the mood. "She seemed nice." She joked and Jesse laughed.

"Yeah, she was nice when I met her. When we first started going out everything was great."

"And now?" Naomi pressed.

"And now she bursts into my living room and accuses me of having threesomes with my friends." Jesse shook her head she honestly didn't know what to do anymore. They spoke no more about Amy but there was a definite shift in the mood in which they continued working on their project. When the time came for them to leave Emily once again assured JJ that she had nothing to apologise for and Naomi wished her luck and told her she had the right to be happy. It was an odd goodbye to say the least. When they left JJ shut the door and leaned her back against it sinking down until she was sitting on the floor.

"Dinner's ready." Her dad popped his head out from the kitchen to tell her. He looked at her and heaved a heavy sigh. He knelt down on the floor in front of her and looked her in the eye; she looked exhausted.

"How many more times are you going to let her do this to you?" He asked, sounding sympathetic rather than judgemental. She sighed and shrugged blinking back the tears that formed in her eyes.

"I vote for not a lot." He said exaggeratedly trying to make her laugh. "I don't like seeing my little girl like this."

"I'm not a little girl." She narrowed her eyes at him.

"Unless you grow some more you're always going to be a little girl." He teased and she couldn't help but laugh. "Come on the parmesan and chorizo stuffed chicken breast with creamy mash are ready." He smiled proudly and helped her to her feet.

She followed him into the kitchen and even managed to eat some of her food despite her impending argument with Amy lingering on her mind. She knew she would come back later; she just had to work out what she was going say to her.


	5. Great minds

"Wow poor JJ." Emily sighed as she and Naomi walked home together.

"I know, that was unpleasant enough to watch never mind go through." Naomi shuddered slightly. "I'm glad we won't be around for round 2 later."

"I hope she breaks up with her." Emily said in a resolved tone. Naomi cast a nervous glance at her girlfriend and hated to find herself wondering exactly why Emily wanted them to break up.

"Maybe she'll give her a second chance." Naomi said pointedly. It was not missed by Emily.

"Yeah but I think Amy may be on her fourth or fifth chance already." She replied. "I just want JJ to be happy and it's blatantly obvious that Amy is just making her miserable."

"I know what you mean." Naomi nodded. It wasn't hard to see the relationship was taking its toll on their new friend. Naomi smiled to herself when the realised just how well matched she and Emily actually were; she wanted to change the world and Emily wanted to fix the people who live in it. It was an oddly perfect fit. She tugged Emily's hand and pulled her in for a quick kiss as they walked.

"I'm just glad our days of fighting like that are over."

"You and me both." Emily chuckled. It was good that enough time had elapsed that they could laugh about those stumbles in the beginning of their relationship.

"It was worth it though." She smiled and raised their joined hands. "Look at where we are now."

They were finally comfortable enough to be themselves and their relationship had never been stronger. All the arguments at the start seemed like a distant memory. Their biggest problems now came from the outside world but their relationship was solid.

"So if they do break up...do you think something might happen between JJ and Effy?" Emily asked with a giggle, feeling in the mood for idle gossip.

"Effy?" Naomi's browed furrowed. "Not if Katie has anything to do with it."

"What?" Emily half gasped, half laughed. "Katie?"

"Yeah...haven't you noticed, she seems pretty keen to get to know Jay." She winked suggestively.

"You know Katie's not like that." Emily rolled her eyes.

"Maybe not." Naomi shrugged and dropped it. She had noticed some odd behaviour on Katie's part when it came to the natural red head but nothing that resembled flirting. Not like the shameless flirting that Effy had been participating in. Both of them actually, Effy and JJ were flirting heavily with each other, but Naomi had no idea if it would come to fruition.

"Guess we'll just have to wait and see." Emily shrugged but they continued to gossip the rest of the way home.

-

"Do you know what you're going to do?" Jude asked his daughter as they sat in the living room after dinner watching children's TV programmes with Mattie.

"I'm going to break up with her." Jesse stated the obvious. "I have to otherwise all these mind games and arguments will drive me crazy."

"And you can't go crazy." Her father shook his head. "If you went crazy who would keep the rest of us sane?"

"Fuck I don't know." She chuckled.

"You'll be alright you know." He smiled at her reassuringly.

"I know." She nodded. As though he sensed something going on Mattie crawled up into JJ's lap and gave her a hug. She laughed and ruffled his long blonde hair. Not long after the doorbell rang and Jesse's heart stopped momentarily as her insides twisted in knots.

"Do you want me to get it?" Her dad offered. She shook her head silently. She would do it; she knew it was time to end this masochistic tryst. With a resolved look on her face she stood up tall and headed purposefully out the door.

"Good luck." Jude whispered as she walked out the door.

She opened the door to find Amy standing on the doorstep with her arms crossed and an angry glare on her face.

"Have you calmed down any?" Jesse asked flatly.

"I didn't need to calm down." Amy chuckled dryly. "I only left so you could get rid of your whores. Now I'm back so you can explain yourself to me."

"Yeah I'm not going to do that." Jesse found herself laughing. This displeased the blonde incredibly. "In fact I'm not going to justify anything I do to you ever again. We're done Amy." She said firmly.

"What?" She demanded in a voice so loud JJ was sure the partially deaf lady who lived across the street heard her.

"You...Me...We're done...Over." She repeated slowly and clearly. "I don't want to see you, hear from you or in any other way be alerted to your existence ever again."

"_You're_ breaking up with _me_?" Amy asked incredulously.

"Yes Amy. I am." She sighed. "I am done with all your mind games and bullshit."

"Ha!" The other girl coughed before narrowing her eyes at Jesse. "Do you know what I should thank you. Because this means I won't have to listen to your whining anymore or put up with your neediness or listen to you yap on about your life and your family and pretend that I give a shit because, JJ, I really don't."

"Whatever Amy." JJ shrugged. She really didn't care anymore; it was an extremely liberating feeling. The blonde seethed at the fact she couldn't get under the other girl's skin. She began to storm down the drive.

"Oh and by the way I _was_ cheating on. With a few girls actually. For quite some time." She smiled triumphantly.

"Yeah well that just means someone else was faking it that night instead of me." Jesse smirked as Amy's face fell and she was rendered speechless. She turned on her heels and slammed the door before Amy could say another word. She stood for a minute with her back pressed against the door, half expecting the sadistic bitch to ring the doorbell to give her retort, but it didn't happen. She found it difficult to believe she'd ever had feelings for her.

"So that went well." Jude poked his head out from the living room and smiled.

"Yeah...we might have to move." She chuckled.

"To hell with the neighbours." He said dramatically making her laugh. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah I'm fine." She nodded. "I'm going to go for a walk though."

Her father eyed her suspiciously trying to work out whether she was lying about being ok.

"I'm fine." She assured him. "I'm just still a little wired I just want to walk it off, calm myself down, you know get my thoughts in order."

"Just don't be too late." He understood that she had to do this. Ever since she was a little girl Jesse had always been a deep thinker. Anytime something happened she would disappear up to her room or out into the garden for a while and reappear with her thoughts in order and a smile back on her face.

"I won't!" She promised and headed out the door without so much as grabbing a jacket or her iPod.

She walked to the park; she always went to the park when she wanted to get away from things. There was a very big and very old tree near the top of one of the many hills. It was secluded and the view wasn't bad either. She could be alone for hours without being disturbed by children playing around her or teenage boys kicking their football near her tree in a blatant attempt to get her attention.

She sat down and leaned against the rough bark on the tree trunk; it scratched the back of her arms but it wasn't an unpleasant sensation. Closing her eyes she took a few deep breaths and let the anger drain from her. She felt better already. She wasn't angry at Amy. Amy was a heartless bitch, people had warned her in the beginning but she had this stupid belief she could change her. Her actions and opinions didn't matter to her anymore. She was more annoyed at herself for letting it go on for so long. The emotional hold she allowed Amy to have over her was ridiculously misplaced. She berated herself for being so foolish.

"JJ?" A familiar voice sounded. Jesse opened her eyes to find two piercing blue eyes staring back at her.

"Hi Effy." She sighed but smiled at the girl.

"Everything alright?" The brunette asked curiously.

"I think it is, yes." JJ smiled at the realisation. Effy looked a little confused.

"Did you want to be alone?" She asked motioning to the grass beside JJ.

"Oh no. It's ok, sit, please." She nodded encouragingly. Effy smiled and sat down facing the red head.

"What are you doing here anyway?" JJ asked feeling lighter than before. "It's a bit off the beaten track."

"Probably the same thing you're doing here...getting away from it all."

"Oh yeah?" JJ raised her eyebrow at the mysterious girl. "What are you getting way from?"

Effy chuckled slightly. "I'll tell you if you tell me what you're doing here."

JJ considered it for a minute. This was possibly the most in depth conversation she'd ever had with Effy; it could possibly be the most in depth conversation Effy's ever had with anyone. The girl eluded mystique and prided herself in having an attitude that screamed she didn't give a fuck and yet there was something about her sad blue eyes that promised JJ it would be ok to open up to her.

"Amy and I broke up." She shrugged.

"I'm sorry." She sounded sincere. Although there was no denying a part of her felt secretly thrilled.

"Don't be. It was a long time coming." She smiled. "Your turn."

"I'm trying to get away from my mother." The brunette sighed and pulled out a packet of cigarettes from the pocket of her leather jacket. She offered one to JJ before producing a lighter from the inside of her boot. Jesse couldn't help but laugh. Effy looked at her curiously as she sparked up.

"I thought I was the only one who did that." She shrugged and pulled her phone out of her own boot; both girls giggled.

"Great minds." Effy grinned.

"Why are you trying to escape your mum?" She asked, holding out her hand for the lighter. Ordinarily she only smoked when she was absolutely trashed but today she felt it appropriate to have one. Effy drew in a deep breath.

"She just been a bit...over enthusiastic since I came back." She explained then realised Jesse was new to the group and probably didn't know what she was talking about. "I ran away for a while and things were shit before that too. I was doing a pretty good job of fucking over everyone who cared about me." She sounded remorseful.

"Yeah I heard something like that." She commented without any sound of judgement in her voice. Effy had this strange feeling that she could talk to JJ about anything without her judging her.

"But you came back..." She shrugged. "Running away is easy, coming back is the hard part."

Effy stared at her thoughtfully for a minute. She had never thought of it like that before.

"Sometimes she just gets a bit too involved in my life for my taste...hence me coming here." She finished and stubbed out a cigarette. "What happened with Amy?"

"She accused me of sleeping with Emily...and Naomi...and in reality she was the one cheating on me." She laughed. It did sound a bit ridiculous when she said it out loud. "I'm better off without her." She said with complete certainty.

"Sounds like it."

They spent another hour or so in the park just talking about life and school, things on TV; anything that came into their heads really. It was getting late and the evening sun was starting to descend into the trees behind them, creating elongated shadow forms of them on the grass. They hardly noticed the time going by until they were interrupted by JJ's phone ringing. She pulled it out of her boot again and rolled her eyes. The caller ID was flashing Jude.

"Sorry." She cringed and answered the phone. "Hi dad."

"I'm in the park...no I'm not alone, I met someone from college we got carried away talking...I didn't realise the time...No it's ok I'll be home soon. Love you bye."

"You have to leave then." Effy said when she had hung up. She sounded slightly disappointed.

"I don't have to leave I don't have a half past 7 curfew or anything." JJ laughed at the very idea of Jude imposing something so strict as a curfew. "I just have to go home for a bit." She explained as she pushed herself to her feet.

"Come on." She held out her hand to help Effy up. Effy looked at her strangely seemingly, shocked by the fact that JJ wanted her to come back to her house. "Or you can stay here on your own if you want."

Effy shook her head and took JJ's hand, they held on for a little bit more than necessary; neither of them was sure which one was hesitating to let go. They continued their conversation the whole way to JJ's house. If anyone who ever met Effy Stonem saw them chatting animatedly they'd think the brunette had been possessed. It was rare she interacted with another person in this way but with Jesse it felt easy, enjoyable even.

"Ok I'm home." Jesse called when she opened the front door. Effy stood tentatively on the step until JJ literally grabbed her by the hand pulled her inside the house.

"JAY-JAY!" A high pitched excited squeal came from a blur running down the hallway. JJ bent down and caught the tiny blonde three year old boy.

"I'm sorry but he refused to go to bed until you came home and said goodnight." Jude followed him down the hallway his hands held up apologetically. JJ looked at the child accusingly. He grinned back at her unapologetically.

"Where's Ria anyway?" JJ asked her father.

"She got called into work." He explained, noticing Effy standing in the doorway. "Hello." He said cheerfully. JJ blushed, why did he have to be so...enthusiastic to get to know her friends?

"Effy this is Jude, Dad, Effy." She introduced them and Mattie looked at her to prompt his introduction.

"And this is Mattie." She smiled at the toddler before adding. "And he's on his way to bed."

"I'm sorry I can't really talk right now, maybe after I put Mattie to bed..." He apologised to Effy before heading up the stairs. Beside her Effy swore she heard JJ mutter the words over my dead body and she stifled a giggle.

Jesse hugged and kissed her nephew goodnight and handed him back to her father. She then led Effy into the living room and sat down on the soft, leather sofa.

"Cute kid." She remarked. "He your brother?"

"No, my nephew." JJ explained. "My sister Rhiannon, got pregnant when she was 16. My dad, he's really supportive, he watches Mattie during the day so Ria can go to uni."

"That's nice." Effy smiled genuinely. "You're dad, he seems really nice." She smiled wistfully, she missed her own father sometimes though he hadn't been half the supporting influence Jude appeared to be.

"He's not too bad." She smiled.

They stayed in the living room for the rest of the night. Jude only interrupted once and it was to bring them snacks. JJ however knew what he was up to and had no problem informing Effy that he was just coming in to check whether Effy was a friend or a potential girlfriend.

"God love him, he just can't help himself. He is a nosey bastard." She laughed.

"And he's ok with you being gay?" Effy asked.

"Yeah...he's ok with most things, he just wants us to be happy." She shrugged.

"So what conclusion do you think he drew on me...friend or potential girlfriend?" She asked flirtatiously.

"I don't know...he's usually pretty quick to jump the gun though, so he probably thinks girlfriend." JJ admitted.

"Hmm..." Effy dwelled on this thought for some time.

-

It was late and rather dark when Effy was leaving the Hennessy household. She lived on the next street over and assured Jesse that she would be ok walking home alone.

"Alright then if you're sure." She conceded, lingering in the doorway. "Thanks for this evening Eff. It was nice." Trying not to think too much about it she reached out and put her arms around the brunette. Effy returned the hug eagerly, finding herself unusually pleased and comforted by the feeling of JJ's arms around her.

"Thank _you_!" She said softly as they broke apart. After all she had done just as much problem sharing as she had problem solving. "See you tomorrow." She smiled brightly as she walked down the driveway thinking that this was the most fun she could remember having without alcohol.

"Yeah, see you." Jesse grinned as she watched the sway of the girl's hips as she walked away. She smiled to herself as she shut the door. The evening hadn't turned out quite as bad as she had expected.

"So Effy then?" Jude asked eagerly. She hadn't even been aware of him loitering on the stairs. She sighed and tried in vain to suppress a grin.

"Leave it out dad. She's just a friend." She giggled and ruffled his receding hairline.

"Really?" He sounded doubtful.

"Yes, really!" She emphasised the word.

"If you say so." He gave her a look that said he didn't believe her.

"Goodnight dad." She rolled her eyes as she headed up the stairs. The relief she felt was short lived when she reached her room and found her sister perched on the bed waiting for her. Her long blonde hair was pulled back off her face and she was still wearing her work uniform. JJ hadn't even heard her come in.

"Who was that in the living room?" She asked with a broad grin on her face and curiosity dancing in her blue eyes.

"My friend. Effy." JJ rolled her eyes. Though she would try to deny it her sister was just like their father in her mannerisms.

"Just a friend?" She asked with a suspicious tone in her voice.

"Yes...just a friend." JJ sighed. As if the beautiful, popular, wonderful Effy Stonem would ever want to be more than just friends with her.

"Is that all _you_ want her to be?" Rhiannon asked. Damned if she wasn't perceptive.

"Yes." JJ said, though she felt like she was lying a little bit.

"I don't believe you." Her sister shrugged and [pushed herself off the bed. "But if you say so then I'll drop it for tonight. You know where I am if you ever want to talk though..." She added with a warming smile.

"Second door on the right." JJ smiled back at her.

The red head stared at the door for a moment after her sister had left. She really couldn't ask for a better family. A slightly less nosey, less intrusive one maybe but she had no doubts that there were better people out there for her to surround herself with. Instead of going to sleep feeling upset and lonely after her break up she drifted off feeling lucky and perhaps even blessed.

* * *

**A/N:** Ok we're all grown ups here...at least I hope...so I'll level with you...I may have been slightly drunk when I finished this chapter but it was only because I was so excited to get it posted and continue to the next chapter. Personally I don't think it's that bad but a 6pk of MGD might impair my judgement...review and let me know =]


	6. Peanut M&Ms

When JJ arrived at school the next day Emily was loitering near her locker anxiously scanning the crowd for the red head. Jesse had been dreading this moment all morning; not only did she not want to talk about the break up but she also still felt guilty about the way Amy had spoken to Emily. A part of her was hoping Effy might have already filled them in on what had happened but she knew that Effy wasn't the type of person who would do that. It was a trait she admired the girl for.

"Hi." Emily said cautiously.

"Morning." She greeted her cheerfully.

"How are you?" She asked her mouth drawing a worried smile. "I mean...how did it go last night?"

"It was..." She chose her words carefully. "Easier than I thought."

A wave of relief washed over Emily and her body visibly relaxed. "Really?"

"And it was definitely the right thing to do. As it turns out she was cheating on me anyway so..." JJ smiled but didn't finish her sentence. Emily didn't miss the slight hurt that showed in her blue eyes.

"That's shit." She muttered, placing a comforting hand on the girl's shoulder.

"Well I'm much better off now." JJ drew herself up and forced a smile. She really was fine.

"You are." Emily agreed. The bell rang and they headed to registration together.

"Hey what are you doing after school?"

"Nothing." Emily shrugged. "Why?"

"Do you fancy coming into town with me?" JJ asked. "I mean Naomi too, if she wants. I was just wondering...if you wanted to."

"Yeah definitely." She smiled. "Naomi has a student activism meeting after school but I'll go with you."

"Great...I have a feeling _you_ might enjoy this." She flashed a devilish grin as she walked off towards her seat at the back of the room leaving Emily to wonder what she meant.

-

"I heard about what happened." Naomi smiled apologetically when she saw JJ at lunch. "Sorry."

"Thanks." JJ smiled back.

"We should do something, you know..." Katie suggested. "Like a girl's night out or something. Get pissed."

"Well I was thinking of heading to Kitty Killer tomorrow night." Jesse shrugged. "If you guys fancy coming?"

"Sounds great!" Katie said positively. Emily gave an amused smile.

"Kitty Killer is a gay bar Katie." She scoffed at the very idea of her sister at a gay bar.

"Yeah..." Katie considered this for a second before shrugging. "So?"

Emily's mouth fell open slightly in shock and confusion. What the hell was going on that her sister was suddenly so keen to go to a gay bar?

"I've never been to a gay bar before!" Pandora exclaimed excitedly before Emily had a chance to voice her thoughts. "Will there be loads of fit boys there all kissing each other?"

Effy caught Jesse's eye and smirked. "Yeah, lots." Effy assured her without taking her eyes off JJ.

"Mega!" The blonde squeaked excitedly.

-

"I can't believe Katie is going to Kitty Killer." Naomi laughed as she and Emily walked along the corridor together towards their lockers. It was the end of the day and the hallways were filled with students, though neither seemed to notice anything but each other.

"I know, what's that all about?" Emily's brow furrowed in thought. "Why's Katie so keen to go to as she calls it the muff muchers club all of a sudden?"

"I don't know." Naomi shrugged. "Maybe she's trying to broaden her horizons, branch out, and try something new?"

Emily gave the blonde a sceptical look.

"Maybe she's trying to be a better person and a good friend to JJ?" She offered.

"Hmm..." Emily considered this option to be more likely but still wasn't convinced.

"Maybe she's given up on men and wants to see if she can attract lesbians?" The blonde chuckled.

"Definitely. That's the one." Emily laughed along with her girlfriend.

"Who cares why she's going?" Naomi sighed melodramatically. "The important thing is that _we_ are going to Kitty Killer this weekend."

"No drunken, pervy guys leering at us every time we kiss." The idea thrilled Emily to no end.

"Sounds like heaven." Naomi smiled and leaned in for a quick kiss as they approached the classroom where her fellow student activists were waiting. "Are you sure you don't want to come?"

"Positive." Emily chuckled, looking cautiously at the door. She never intended to get involved in Naomi's world of righteousness; that was her thing. "Besides I have plans."

"Really?" Naomi sounded more shocked than she intended.

"Yes actually. I do have a life outside this relationship." Emily joked. "I'm going into town for a while with JJ."

"Male or female?" Naomi smirked.

"Female." The red head chuckled.

"I see." Naomi again felt a pang of unsubstantiated jealousy. "Have fun." She smiled brightly.

"You too." Emily grinned and gave her one final kiss good bye.

"You ready to go?" JJ asked when Emily approached.

"Yes." Emily nodded. "What did you mean earlier by the way?"

"Going to have to be a little more specific Ems...I said a lot of things today." Jesse half laughed.

"When you said I would enjoy going into town." She asked still feeling confused, even after spending a large part of the day wondering what the comment had meant.

"I just thought you would enjoy spending the day in town with your friend." JJ lied unconvincingly.

"I think it was more specific than that." Emily rolled her eyes as they walked out the school doors.

"It was." Jesse nodded. Emily's eyes pleaded for her to elaborate. "You will see."

"Do you enjoy being cryptic?" The younger twin huffed in frustration.

"Not particularly." She smirked.

It was a nice enough day, the bright sunny summertime had long passed but it wasn't raining and the clouds were a very light shade of grey, so they walked into town. Along the way they discussed school, Naomi, their plans for the weekend and other trivial things. It was nice but JJ couldn't help but think it was nicer with Effy. She mentally scolded herself for indulging in such a thought.

"Here we are." Jesse smiled when they came to a stop outside a shop Emily was entirely unfamiliar with.

"Here?" Emily's voice was wrought with bewilderment as she looked up at the sign over the door. She had always been vaguely aware that Bristol had a tattoo and piercing studio though its location always remained a mystery to her. She wondered why JJ had thought she would want to come here.

"Yeah." The red head nodded excitedly. "Come on."

"What are we doing here?" Emily couldn't help but ask as they stepped inside the building. Inside there were a few soft leather couches as well as a few fairly new looking computers. There was a coffee machine behind the counter and various food items stocked in fridges. The walls were painted bright red and decorated with pictures of tattoo art and there were cabinets displaying body jewellery littered throughout the room. It was the kind of place Emily only ever imagined seeing.

"We're here for tea and biscuits." JJ joked, rolling her eyes. "Hey Luce!"

She greeted the girl behind the counter as though they were old friends. Emily looked at the girl. She was easily 2 or 3 years older than them. Her hair was died a deep purple colour which contrasted greatly against her pale white skin. She had quite a few visible piercings but not so many that Emily felt intimidated. The girl was actually rather attractive.

"Hey JJ!" She smiled brightly when she seen the red head. "Haven't seen you in a while. Who's your friend?"

Neither Emily nor JJ could miss the implication in Luce's voice as she grinned at the pair.

"Get your mind out of the gutter." JJ chuckled. "This is my friend Emily. And it _is_ possible to have friends without sleeping with them."

"Yeah but where's the fun in that." She grinned devilishly. "I'm sorry...I just...thought I felt a vibe." She said unapologetically.

"Anyway it's nice to meet you Emily." She held out a hand to the girl.

"You too." Emily said feeling like she was nowhere near cool enough to be hanging out in a place like this.

"So what can I do for you today Jay?" Luce asked, planting her hands on the counter, leaning forward slightly.

"I was thinking...piercing." She pouted thoughtfully.

"Excellent! Where?" Luce asked, Emily drifted out of the conversation and looked around the room, picking up a book of tattoos and flicking through it.

"Nipple?" The older girl asked hopefully.

"No." Jesse answered firmly. "Not my clit either! I was thinking of getting my tragus done."

"Very nice." Luce approved. "Alright just let me get set up!"

She disappeared through a door at the side of the room. Jesse returned her attention to Emily, who was studying one of the pictures in the book. It was of roses on a girl's amazingly toned stomach, however that wasn't the detail Emily was consumed with. She was staring at the girl's hand, squinting to make it out and wondering why it looked kind of familiar. JJ glanced at the picture and giggled.

"See something you like?" Emily's eyes snapped up to meet Jesse's crystal blue irises and she blushed.

"I wasn't staring at the girl!" She said urgently. Jesse just laughed more. "It's...I think I...she looks...familiar. Her ring. I've seen it somewhere before."

"You're kind of adorable when you're blushing." JJ smirked. Emily's gaze remained fixed on the floor. "You're right though."

"What?" Emily looked up to see Jesse standing with her t-shirt pulled up revealing the same roses. "Oh."

"I'm a little curvier than I was then but the overall effect remains the same, don't you think?" She grinned.

"They're beautiful." Emily muttered. JJ pulled her top back down.

"Jay, why did you think I would enjoy coming here?" Emily asked the question that had been puzzling her since they arrived.

"I don't know. I think body modification is good for the soul, something I'm into. Something tells me it might be something you'd be interested in as well." She shrugged. Emily considered this for a minute. It was something she'd always thought about doing but Katie had banned her from piercing her ears more than once. Now she had stood up to her sister there was nothing stopping her, apart from the fear really.

"Ready." Luce called from the side room.

"You can come in and watch if you like." JJ offered; it was like she could sense what Emily was thinking. The twin nodded and followed her into the room.

"Alright then, jump up on the table and let's get started." Luce said excitedly as she rolled a tray with the piercing equipment on it towards the table. "Which ear are we doing this in?"

"The left." JJ answered hopping onto the table. Luce set up for the piercing, Emily watched with morbid fascination.

"Ok here's how we're going to do this, you lie down on your right side and turn your head to face that pretty friend of yours." Luce was delighting in the fact that she was making both girls somewhat uncomfortable. "I'll count to three you will feel a pinch. You'll catch your breath and we'll put this nice sparkly labret in your ear. How does that sound?"

"You're the boss." JJ obliged, lying down and facing Emily. She gave her a nervous smile as Luce grabbed her ear. Emily's stomach clenched and she was torn between looking and not looking.

"One...Two...Three." It was too late; Luce had stuck the needle through JJ's ear before Emily had even registered what was going on. She felt an odd sensation of relief; it didn't look as horrific as she had thought.

"Oh that made a disgusting noise!" JJ wretched slightly, but didn't move from her position. "Like someone biting a peanut M&M."

Her analogy put Emily right off the multi coloured sweets.

"You know it's the needle making the noise not your ear." Luce pointed out.

"Doesn't matter still sounded gross." JJ argued.

"Whatever." Luce rolled her eyes and inserted the labret. "All done. What you think?"

"It's lovely." Emily smiled. The diamond stud sparkled nicely in her friend's ear.

"Nice work." JJ nodded in satisfaction. "So what you think Ems? Can we tempt you with anything?"

Emily's pale face was thoughtful. JJ smirked at Luce. "Maybe something small."

"Excellent." Luce rubbed her hands together eager to get her hands on the young girl. She decided to have her cartilage pierced at the top of her ear. It was small, but it was enough for now. She was really pleased with it.

"You think Naomi will like your piercing?" JJ asked with a smile as they went to pay for their piercings.

"Probably!" Emily shrugged. She hadn't done it for Naomi, or anyone else, this was purely for herself. "Looking forward to tomorrow night?"

"Yeah." JJ smiled. "I think a night out is just what I need."

"Who's going out?" Luce asked when she reappeared at the counter.

"We are. Well the girls from my new school are going to Kitty Killer tomorrow night." JJ explained. Luce looked intrigued. "Up for it?"

"I might show up." She replied with a non-committal shrug. They paid Luce who informed Emily with a wink that they had received the discounted rate and she should come back anytime. They said goodbye and left. It was early in the evening and it was starting to get dark. They headed home together.

"So have you have fun today Emily?" JJ asked with a smile.

"I have actually, thanks for inviting me."

"Anytime!" She winked. "You feel like taking Jude up on his offer of dinner tonight?" She asked. She was having fun with Emily and bringing a different friend home for dinner tonight might halt the rumour mill in her house.

"I should probably get home." She said sadly. "I'd invite you round but Mum's not really...understanding...when it comes to the whole gay thing and I don't want her to make you feel uncomfortable." She frowned.

"Hey, don't worry about it." JJ reassured her. "That must suck for you though."

"Not half." Emily laughed. "Drives Naoms crazy when she upsets me."

"You're welcome round mine anytime." JJ suggested. "Seriously, if you need to get away from it or anything, even if I'm not there. Jude's pretty decent to talk to about things...Think about it."

"Thanks Jesse." She smiled warmly at the girl. She hadn't known her for long but she had already proven herself to be a good friend to the newly independent twin. The small ring in the ear was a testament to how JJ actually understood who Emily was without her even saying a word. She just got her. It was nice to have a friend like that.

"Well this is my stop." The red head smiled at the top if her road. "Thank for coming with me today Ems. See you tomorrow." She said goodbye with a quick hug, being careful not to brush against her friend's newly pierced ear.

"Goodnight." Emily smiled into the hug.

**A/N: **I was almost done with this chapter when I realised that more than half of it is purely based on JJ getting a piercing lol Honestly I was thinking about rewriting it but I think it's important for her and Emily bonding. So if you don't like it I apologise and will try to make it up to you in the next chapter =] As always reviews make me happy! Happy writers update faster!


	7. Absinthe makes the heart grow fonder

**A/N: **Ok so I'm very sorry about the delay in my updates, got a lot of stuff going on at the minute but hopefully this nice, long, eventful update will make it up to you.

As always review and let me know what you think =]

* * *

"So is everyone ready for tonight?" JJ asked excitedly as the girls walked home from school on Friday. She was looking forward to going out for the night and having fun.

"Hell yeah!" Naomi mirrored her enthusiasm.

"Great!" JJ smiled. "Well if you think you can tolerate Jude for a bit we can have a few drinks at mine before we go out."

"Sounds good." Katie said eagerly.

"He's not that bad." Effy muttered and rolled her eyes. Naomi and Emily exchanged an intrigued look. When had Effy met Jude?

"Alright then! Be at mine about 9?" She suggested. Everyone agreed as they reached the point where Emily and Katie headed in a different direction.

"See you tonight then." Emily smiled brightly. She couldn't wait to go out.

"What should I wear?" Katie asked as they ambled home.

"What?" Emily chuckled.

"I've never been to a gay bar before." Katie shrugged. She didn't want to look out of place.

"Wear whatever you want Katie." Emily shook her head. Katie frowned slightly. Emily rolled her eyes and linked arms with her twin.

"Oh alright. Come on, I'll help you pick out a nice gay bar outfit." She giggled. Never in a million years did she think she would see the day when Katie would be asking for her advice about what to wear. Things really had changed.

-

It took about an hour but eventually they found Katie some gay bar suitable clothing. She dressed in short black shorts with braces attached and a deep purple, satin shirt of Emily's. Of course she had added a ton of accessories but she at least managed to keep the amount of leopard print to a minimum. Emily wore a cute and colourful shirt and black vest top combination with a pair of heels that would even out the height difference between her and Naomi. She pulled her red hair back off her face to better show off her new piercing.

"I still can't believe you got that done." Katie said as she examined the small hoop in her sister's ear. The whole story Emily had told her about her day in town with JJ seemed hard to believe.

"Don't you like it?" The younger twin asked, though she found that she really didn't care about the answer. She liked it and that was all that really matter. As she had told Jenna when she came home, it was her body.

"No its nice." She shrugged. "It kind of suits you actually."

"Thanks." Emily was slightly taken aback by the positive comment from her sister.

"Are you ready then?" Katie asked, checking the time. They were meeting Naomi on the way to JJ's and she didn't want to be late.

"Yeah, let's go." Emily was also anxious to get out. They crept quietly down the stairs hoping to avoid drawing their parents' attention before they left but Rob was waiting for them.

"Where are you two off to?" His loud voice startled them.

"A friend's house." Emily answered honestly.

"Which friend?" He narrowed his eyes at them.

"JJ." Katie replied.

"That weird boy who took Emsy to the love ball?" He looked confused.

"Oh no." Emily laughed and shook her head. "The new girl at college, Jesse, we're going to her house."

"And her Dad's going to be there." Katie assured him. "And it's girls only."

They smiled sweetly at their father. What he didn't know wouldn't hurt him.

"Alright then." He said in his thick Scouse accent, clear pleased by the fact that it would be girls only. "Have fun."

They hurried out of the house before he could raise any further protest. Gina answered the door when they arrived at Naomi's.

"Emily, Katie, hi!" She greeted them warmly and brought them inside. "She shouldn't be too long."

Kieran was lying up on the couch watching TV when they entered the living room.

"Alright girls." He greeted them casually.

"Hi Kieran." Emily replied. She was used to seeing him outside college like this but it still seemed a bit odd to Katie. Not that he ever behaved like a responsible, authority figure when they were in school but it was still strange.

"Naomi says your going out with Jesse tonight." He mused.

"Yeah." Emily confirmed.

"How's she...fitting in? Is she...getting on ok?" He asked, clearly uncomfortable with asking. "Cause you know, Doug will probably ask me and I don't really want to single her out."

"JJ's great." Emily shrugged and shook her head. She didn't exactly feel qualified to comment on how well the other student was doing in Roundview but she certainly was fitting in with their group of friends effortlessly. It was difficult to imagine the girl would have trouble fitting in anywhere; she was just so charming.

"Yeah." Katie agreed.

"Ready?" Naomi poked her head through the living room door.

"Yeah." They replied and jumped to their feet simultaneously.

"Have fun." Gina called after them.

"And behave." Kieran added with a low chuckle.

-

Somewhere around 9 o'clock the doorbell rang in the Hennessy household. Jesse skipped down the hallway to answer it. The blue eyed beauty that was Effy Stonem was smiling at her when she opened the door.

"Hi. Come on in." She stepped aside and allowed Effy to enter. "In the kitchen." She directed her friend, trying hard and failing not to look at her ass as she walked in front of her. With a dress that short JJ couldn't help herself and fishnet tights too; it was like she was inviting her to perve.

"Hello Effy." Jude grinned when she walked through the door. He gave JJ a look and she rolled her eyes.

"Hi Jude." She greeted him.

"Can I get you a drink?" He offered politely, gesturing to the vast amounts of alcohol in the kitchen.

"Sure." She shrugged taking a seat beside JJ at the table. It was strange having a parent figure offer you alcohol rather than having to hide it from them but it was Jude. He listed the options and she considered them. "I'll have a glass of red wine please."

"Excellent." He smiled. "We have a nice merlot here, Chilean, delicious fruity flavours to it."

"You know a lot about wine then?" She asked interestedly.

"Not really, just what I read off the back of the bottle." He admitted. Effy laughed, it wasn't hard to see where JJ got her sense of humour. "It is actually nice I had a glass of it myself."

JJ watched the interaction with great amusement. It entertained her; the way Jude made an effort to befriend her friends. He really was unlike any other father she'd ever met. She tried to ignore the other thought that tugged at the edge of her brain about why she was glad Effy got on well with Jude. The doorbell rang again pulling her away from her thoughts and the hilarious conversation about wine.

"Hello." She opened the door and turned on her heels waiting for Katie, Emily and Naomi to follow her. When they reached the kitchen they were shocked to see that Effy had arrived before them and was sitting at the table chatting to Jude like it was a regular occurrence.

"Alright Emily and Naomi." He smiled at the familiar faces. "And you must be Katie."

"Yeah." The brunette twin looked confused.

"Hi I'm Jude." He stood and extended his hand to the girl. She shook it tentatively. This was a bit surreal.

"Nice to meet you." She replied politely.

"So what do you want to drink?" JJ asked them. They stared back at her blankly. "Beer, wine, cider, spirits?"

"Eh...wine would be nice." Naomi ventured timidly.

"We have merlot, white zinfandel or chardonnay?" She asked then simplified when Naomi looked at her clueless. "Red, rosé or white?"

"Oh...white please." The blonde smiled. JJ poured her a glass and looked at the other two expectantly.

"Beer please." Emily shrugged and went along with it. JJ passed her a beer from the fridge and turned to Katie.

"And you Katiekins?" She asked.

"Vodka and tonic." The twin asked for the only drink that came to mind.

"Excellent choice." JJ smiled, leaving Katie feeling slightly flustered for a reason she couldn't for the life of her understand. She watched as JJ poured two large vodkas and added tonic.

"Doesn't your Dad mind you drinking?" She asked in a hushed tone. JJ laughed.

"No." She scoffed. "His theory is at least this way he knows what I'm drinking. He doesn't like lies."

"Oh." Katie didn't know parents were capable of thinking that way. She couldn't imagine having a relationship with her parents that wasn't based on lies. They took a seat at the table with the rest of them. The conversation was mostly based on Jude interrogating Jesse's friends in an effort to get to know them. The doorbell rang for a final time.

"Panda must have finally slipped away from her mum." Naomi said eliciting a laugh from the group.

"What's the story with her mum then? Jude asked while JJ answered the door.

"She's kind of uptight." Emily replied.

"_Kind of_ uptight." Katie scoffed.

"Really uptight." Emily corrected herself.

"She's kind of like the opposite of you." Effy mused.

"Really?" Jude pouted thoughtfully.

"Hello everyone." The bubbly blonde appeared in the doorway. "Can you believe we're allowed to drink in JJ's house without hiding it from her dad."

"Panda..." Katie said, motioning to Jude sitting at the head of the table with her eyes. Pandora's eyes widened and her mouth fell open. Jude just laughed.

"You must be Pandora." He smiled. "I'm Jude. Jesse's father."

"Nice to meet you. My Mum says I'm to say thanks for having me round although she thinks we're painting each other's nails and watching DVDs. She would bloody flip if she knew we were drinking and I can't even imagine what she'd say about going to a gay bar." The blonde rambled quickly.

"Well you're welcome here." JJ handed Pandora a drink and they sat down.

They stayed in JJ's for another hour before she suggested leaving. Jude was polite enough to excuse himself after only half an hour of sitting with them. His personal best. JJ couldn't help but notice he'd spent an awful lot of time speaking to Effy though. He definitely wasn't going to make this easy for her. They got a taxi to the club, the other girls suggested walking or the bus but JJ pointed out that her heels were made to be appreciated not walked in and Jude insisted they take a taxi.

"I can't believe your dad paid for the taxi." Naomi shook her head as they climbed inside.

"Jude's rules." JJ explained. "He doesn't like the thought of me getting a night bus."

When the pulled up outside the club there was a short queue filled with mostly girls and a lot of them were coupled up. Katie stopped dead and realised that this would be what she was in for all night. Surrounded by lesbians sucking the faces off each other and beautiful gay men that could never be hers. She drew a deep breath and moved to follow Naomi and Emily to the back of the line. Jesse called them back and walked them to the front of the queue. Angry cries sounded in the crowd as they overtook them.

"Hey AJ." She greeted the large female bouncer with open arms.

"Miss JJ." AJ wrapped her arms around the small girl and effortlessly picked her up and set her down again. "Haven't seen you in a while, where've you been?"

"Been having a few difficulties with Amy." She pulled her lips tight over her clenched teeth. "But that's over now so we're here to party." AJ looked around JJ at the others and nodded.

"She was never good enough for you." She winked.

"I've been told." JJ laughed. "Is Sara working?"

"Does she ever take a night off." The bouncer laughed. "Think she's upstairs, I'll let her know you're here."

"Thanks." AJ moved aside and allowed the six girls inside. The crowd cried out in indignation.

"What?" AJ challenged them and they were quickly silenced.

"You come here often then?" Effy asked with a raised eyebrow, falling into step with JJ who smirked at her.

"There's a lot you don't know about me Eff." Her blue eyes sparkled and she licked her lips slowly drawing Effy's attention to them. "Like my middle name for example."

Effy opened her mouth to say something but JJ cut her off.

"I'm not telling you, come on let's get a drink." She said in one long run in sentence.

Kitty Killer was the newest gay friendly night club in Bristol and it was packed accordingly. There were two storeys each with their own dance floor, bar and DJ. The ground floor played more mainstream music as well as some camp favourites while the upstairs DJ spun remixes, house music and underground drum and base. There was something for everyone. The unisex toilets had perplexed Pandora who walked in and got a bit flustered and walked out without using the toilet. It took the 6 of them to get her back in and convince her she was in the right loo.

"So it's true?" An amused voice sounded behind them when they were waiting to be served at the bar. Jesse recognised the voice instantly and spun around. "JJ has returned."

"Sara!" She cried excitedly and threw her arms around the older woman's neck.

"Where the hell have you been? I thought you'd died or something." She rolled her eyes.

"Well I'm back now." JJ answered, wanting to avoid the same conversation she'd already had with AJ. "These are my friends. That's Emily, Naomi, Katie, Pandora and Effy. Guys this is Sara, she owns this place."

The other girls took in the older woman. She was slim and only slightly taller than JJ with short blonde hair and green eyes. She looked like a fairy. She couldn't have been much older than 24 or 25 and she owned the hottest gay bar in Bristol. It was hard to believe. They also wondered how JJ knew her.

"Nice to meet you. Is this your first time here?" She asked. They nodded and she smiled devilishly. You would have to be blind not to find this woman attractive, Katie thought. She leaned across the bar and called the attention of one of her staff members. She whispered in the boy's ear that these were his priority customers tonight and ordered something from him. He hurried off to get it.

"The first one's on me." She smiled. "Enjoy your night."

"You not going to join us for one?" JJ asked sadly.

"I can't Jess." She frowned. "Some of us have to work. The fabulousness doesn't just happen on its own, you know?" She chuckled.

"That's too bad."

"I'll try to catch up with you later though." Sara promised. "Drink those. You'll thank me later, trust me." She smiled and walked away.

They returned their attention to the bar, little green shots and bottles of beer were waiting for them. They looked at it cautiously. Jesse gave the liquid a sniff and grinned.

"What is it?" Emily asked, picking up her own glass.

"Careful Ems, it might make the heart grow fonder but it could also rot your brain." She smirked.

"Again with the cryptic." Emily rolled her eyes. Effy smiled widely and picked up her glass staring at it with delight. Of course she understood what JJ was talking about. Effy knew everything.

"Absinthe." She said in a voice almost a whisper. The other girls looked at even more cautiously now. "Awesome."

"Oh come on." Jesse rolled her eyes at their apparent hesitation. "You drank the punch at Cook's party, this will be a walk in the park compared to that."

Everyone took their shot glass in one hand and beer in the other. They counted to three and sank the shots. The absinthe burned its way from their mouths to their stomachs and left a taste in their mouths that lingered long after they'd gulped on their beer.

"Ugh." JJ's nose wrinkled in disgust as she slammed her now empty beer bottle down on the bar. "I hate liquorice."

They ordered another drink as they waited for the absinthe to take effect, moving onto the dance floor to have some fun. They ordered more drinks and let their inhibitions fall away. That's when the party really started.

-

They moved upstairs where the strobe lights flashed such pretty colours in the absinthe addled minds and the heavy bass lines vibrated through their bodies from the floor. A cute brunette dancing next to them kept caught JJ's eye and smiled at her. Jesse smiled back. The brunette moved closer until she was beside JJ, the whole time making flirtatious eye contact. Jesse knew what was happening but she wasn't sure she wanted it to, not in front of her friends. Not in front of Effy. But the girl was cute and she was interested. Effy was straight and not interested. It was unhealthy to harbour any feelings other than friendship for the girl and why shouldn't she have a meaningless kiss with this girl. She was on the rebound after all.

"Hi." The brunette smiled at her. "I'm Kelly."

"JJ." She nodded at her. They began dancing together, closer and closer until their lips met. It was nice, the girl was a good kisser but Jesse's heart just wasn't in it. She broke it off quickly.

"Sorry." She apologised. "I probably shouldn't be doing this."

"Neither should I." The girl gave an evil grin.

"Well then I definitely shouldn't be doing this." She said disgustedly and walked away from the girl and straight to the bar and ordered a drink. Katie followed her without knowing why.

"What was that?" Katie asked, wanting to know why JJ had just walked away from the girl she was kissing. The girl had been kind of pretty, in an obviously lesbian kind of way.

"Women." JJ shook her head and took a long drink. Katie couldn't help but laugh.

"I thought you liked women." She said sarcastically.

"I do but some of them are assholes." She shrugged with a laugh.

"Just like men then." Katie empathised. She could feel the alcohol over power her senses, her head was buzzing and she became very interested with JJ's lips as they pressed to the glass she was drinking from. "So how do you do it then?"

"How do I do what?" JJ asked, looking in the older twin's brown eyes and noticing that they were a lighter colour than her sister's.

"Pick up girls."

"Feeling a little bit bisexual Katie?" JJ laughed.

"No." Katie snapped automatically. "I'm just curious."

JJ studied her face for a second before answering. "The same way you pick up guys I suppose. I think with girls it's easier though. A look, a smile, a touch; you can have them right where you want them in 3 simple moves if you want."

"Really?" Katie sounded sceptical. No way would it be that easy.

"Sure." JJ shrugged then realised she was going to have to elaborate. "Look at her with a look in your eyes that says you want her."

She looked at Katie.

"Smile at her like you're thinking about kissing her."

She smiled at Katie.

"Then when you're close enough, you touch her somewhere that shows intimacy."

She softly caressed Katie's forearm.

Before she knew what was happening Katie's lips were on hers, soft and warm pressing hard against her. Whether it was instinct or something else entirely she kissed back, applying gentle pressure to the twin's lips. She felt Katie's tongue sneak passed her lips and explore her own mouth. Her tongue fought back battling for dominance as the intensity of the kiss increased. Then they broke apart laughing.

"How was that for you Katie?" She chuckled. "Think there might be a bit of lesbian in you after all?"

"No." Katie shook her head with certainty. "No offense or anything...I mean it was nice and everything but...I like dick."

"None taken. JJ Hennessy, curing bicuriousity since 2007." She chuckled and took another drink. "Oh shit!"

Across the crowd she saw Emily charging towards them looking pissed off and Naomi following quickly behind probably trying to calm her down. JJ sighed; this wasn't going to be pretty.

"What the fuck Katie?" Emily demanded when she reached them. Katie looked at her and smiled, her eyes were unfocused; it was obvious she was drunk as hell. Effy and Pandora reappeared at their side. Jesse looked at her uncomfortably.

"Kissing JJ? What the hell were you doing?" Emily continued to yell. JJ watched and thought she saw a flash of hurt in Effy's eyes. It pained her.

"So what? You kiss a girl all the time." Katie shrugged. Jesse groaned; now was not the time for her attitude.

"I don't believe you." Emily shook her head and stormed off. Naomi moved to follow her.

"Please?" JJ said, asking Naomi's permission to go instead. The blonde waved her arm after Emily and nodded.

"Thanks." JJ took a deep breath and walked passed Effy with apologetic eyes. She would talk to her later but she had to make things right with Emily first.

"Emily." She called out when she caught up with her in the smoking area. The younger twin spun on her heels and glared at her.

"What the fuck was that Jay?" She demanded anger and hurt apparent in her voice. "My fucking sister?"

"It was a stupid drunken kiss." JJ swore.

"So what Katie thinks it is ok to kiss girls now? After all the shit she gave me?" The red head seethed.

"No. She's wasted! She's not gay. She didn't want to hurt you, it was just a drunken thing." JJ took a deep breath. She was so angry with herself for being so stupid and causing her friend such pain. "Emily I'm sorry." She said softly and sincerely.

"Well...good!" She pouted as she felt the anger dissipate. "You fucking should be."

"I fucking am." Jesse attempted to smile. "It really is my fault."

"Your fault? How's it your fault?" Emily rolled her eyes. Katie was as much at fault as she was, more so probably because she was only angry because Katie had been so horrible to her when she came out.

"That kind of thing seems to happen a lot around me...with straight girls I mean." JJ shrugged.

"Its because you're so irresistible." Emily joked and even managed to laugh.

"Well you would know; you stare at me often enough." Jesse poked her tongue out cheekily. Emily gave her a playful shove in response, finding that she wasn't really mad anymore.

"Fucksake!" Emily groaned. "My fags are in Katie's handbag."

It was pretty clear she didn't want to face her sister just yet.

"Not to worry." JJ smiled and scanned the crowd. She walked up to a girl with dirty fair hair standing near them.

"Hey Anna, can I bum a couple of cigarettes off you?" She asked.

"No problem Jay." The girl smiled drunkenly and held out the carton.

"Cheers." She smiled and ran back to Emily.

"So do you just know everyone then?" Emily asked incredulously when she returned.

"You spend enough time here; you get to know a few people." Jesse shrugged.

"A few people I get, but the owner?" Emily raised a questioning eyebrow at her friend.

"Sara's a friend of the family. She used to live on the same street as me and our parents were good friends. And no we've never hooked up." She laughed. Emily looked at her wondering how she had managed to read her mind.

"From the accusing looks I'm fairly certain everyone was wondering that. But sadly no we haven't we're just close. I did have a crush on her when I was younger. She's engaged now, her girlfriend is this amazing artist. She came up with the whole design concept for this place. They're getting civil partnershiped soon." Jesse explained.

"Wow." Emily was genuinely interested. Everything about JJ was fascinating; she felt her own life looked boring in comparison.

"Hey." Naomi greeted them seemingly surprised to find her girlfriend so calm and JJ so not bruised or injured. "Everything alright?"

"Yeah." Emily looked at JJ and smiled.

"Good." Naomi smiled and lit a cigarette of her own, she hadn't fancied walking out into a war zone. "Pandora is unbelievably drunk." She rolled her eyes.

"Shock." Emily said sarcastically.

"We're probably going to have to take her home soon." Naomi chuckled.

"Excuse me a second." Jesse walked away across the smoking area to where she spied Effy standing in the corner.

"Hey." She greeted the brunette tentatively.

"Hey." Effy replied coolly although JJ noticed there was something off about her tone. Effy was practised in hiding her emotions so she remained confident that the red head would not know how she really felt. She still didn't know why she felt so hurt by Jesse kissing Katie. She couldn't explain it; it just stung.

"Can I have some of that?" She motioned towards the cigarette in Effy's hand.

"I thought you didn't smoke?" Effy questioned as she handed it over.

"I said I don't usually smoke." JJ pointed out. She stared at Effy silently for a second then looked around at the rest of the crowd. "This place is getting a bit stale, fancy getting out of here?"

Effy looked thoughtful for a minute. "Wouldn't you rather leave with Katie?" She couldn't stop herself from saying. Jesse winced slightly, though the comment was well deserved it still hurt.

"If I wanted to leave with Katie, I would leave with Katie, but I'm not asking her am I?" She argued. She really didn't want to leave with Katie, she couldn't think of anyone she'd rather go home with than Effy. She tried not to let the brunette see that though.

"Alright." Effy shrugged and pushed herself off the wall. She had to admit she was curious to see what the red head had in mind. She followed Jesse inside but instead of heading downstairs to leave she headed towards a door on the back wall.

"I thought we were leaving." Effy asked feeling a little confused.

"I just need to do one thing before we go." Jesse informed her. A tall thick man in a black suit crossed the room at great speed to where the two girls were.

"What are you two doing?" He asked in a warning tone.

"It's cool alright, I just need to see Sara." JJ dismissed him, entering a code into the keypad beside the door. He looked at her sceptically. She blew out a frustrated breath and rolled her eyes.

"You can radio up if you have to. Tell her it's JJ." She snapped muttering under her breath. "You think the fact that I clearly know the door code would be enough."

"I'm sorry." He said monotonously and stepped away. "Go ahead."

"Thank you." JJ smiled smugly at him and pulled Effy through the door with her. They climbed another set of stairs and stopped outside another door. Jesse barely knocked before Sara answered it.

"What is with your staff trying to stop me coming up here?" JJ complained grumpily.

"Sorry." Sara chuckled. "They have this crazy knack for trying to do their jobs right."

"It better not happen again." The red head pouted. Effy couldn't help but think she looked cute when she did that.

"So what's up?" Sara asked wondering why they had stormed her office.

"I...I have a favour to ask you." Jesse bit her lip and moved her head in the direction of the staff room next door. Sara took the hint that she obviously wanted the favour to be private.

"Ok. Hey Effy, how would you like to watch the seedy goings on in my club while we sort this favour out." Sara suggested gesturing towards the CCTV monitors. "I bet if you look hard enough you'll find your friends."

Effy shrugged and sat down in the chair being offered to her. Sara and JJ disappeared through another door.

"So what's going on there then?" Sara quizzed the younger girl when they were alone.

"Nothing." Her lies might have worked on Jude but they certainly weren't convincing Sara.

"Yeah." She scoffed. "You like her." She sang in a teasing way.

"You sound like Jude." JJ glared at her.

"Jude's a wise man!" Sara smirked.

"I don't like her and weren't you supposed to be doing me a favour." She reminded her of why they were here. She didn't want Effy thinking she had abandoned her.

"What do you need?" The blonde smiled warmly.

"Absinthe." JJ said decidedly. She and Effy were going to get majorly pissed together and it was going to take more than vodka to make her forget how she felt about the brunette.

"I thought rohypnol was the date rape drug of choice these days." She teased, hardly able to keep a straight face as Jesse glared at her.

"Just give me the damn drink." She sighed and handed her a twenty pound note.

"Your money's no good here." Sara held her hands up, refusing to accept the cash. "And for what it's worth I think she might like you too."

Jesse felt her heart do a little flip at the thought that it might be true. She scolded herself for being so foolishly hopeful. No way would Effy be interested in her, even if she was gay.

"Shut up." Jesse groaned; now unable to silence the little voice in her head singing with delight that Effy might like her. They returned to the office where Sara produced a bottle of green liquid and put it in a bag. The brunette in the manager's chair looked at Jesse quizzically then smiled.

"Ready?" Jesse asked her, taking the bag from Sara. Effy nodded and rose from her seat.

"You two girls have fun now." Sara grinned; the innuendo dripping from her voice. "It was lovely meeting you Effy. I hope I see you back here soon."

"You too." Effy gave a small wave of goodbye and followed Jesse down two flights of stairs and out of the club.

"My place?" Jesse posed it as a question. Effy gave one decided nod and grinned her devilish grin. The night had just improved considerably.


	8. After hours

It was just before one when they arrived back at JJ's house. Jude was still awake, sitting in the living room watching TV with what was left of the red wine. There was still an edge of tension between the two girls as they walked up the driveway and into the house. Jesse was wishing she could stop liking Effy and Effy was wondering why she was so annoyed by Jesse kissing Katie. Jude was at the living room door the second he heard them come in.

"You're home early." He commented, looking and Effy and giving Jesse a knowing look. She rolled her eyes.

"Yeah well, Kitty Killer got a bit too much for us." She shrugged. Effy nodded behind her.

"Fair enough." He took that to mean they wanted some time alone together. Jesse disappeared into the kitchen and returned with glasses and spoons.

"We're going upstairs, that alright?" She wasn't asking his permission because it was a given she was merely informing him.

"Of course." He swirled his wine glass in the direction of the stairs. JJ smiled because her father was slightly drunk. Effy thought it was cute. When her parents were drunk it was anything but cute; mostly it was loud and angry or depressed.

"Goodnight Dad." She smiled.

"Goodnight Jude." Effy smiled at him too. Jesse found it amusing that Effy was on first name terms with her father.

"Goodnight girls. Have fun." He winked at Jesse who blushed slightly and groaned. Effy didn't get it she just followed Jesse up the stairs.

Jesse's room was a stark contrast to Effy's own four white walls. The back wall was a decadent, deep purple colour and the surrounding walls a soft lavender. Her bed was dressed with a black velvet and purple comforter. It looked so soft and inviting; Effy just wanted to lie on it. Lie under it with JJ. The red head set the glasses down on her desk and switched on her laptop, selecting a playlist of soft, chilled out songs.

"You alright?" She asked when the silence got too much for her.

"Yeah." Effy nodded. "Your room is nice."

"Thanks." Jesse smiled at the other girl then busied herself preparing the absinthe. "Will you please sit down or something then because your making me nervous just standing there."

Effy chuckled slightly and sat down on JJ's bed. She was right the comforter was unbelievably soft. She watched as Jesse melted sugar on a spoon and stirred it into the absinthe, marvelling as the liquid turned cloudy.

"This stuff is a little stronger than the shots in the bar." JJ informed her, stirring the second glass of absinthe. "But I think you can handle it." She grinned and passed Effy a glass.

"To getting pissed." Effy grinned and raised her glass. Jesse did the same and they both drank their shots.

-

"But I don't want to go home." A very drunk Pandora whined. Naomi and Katie struggled to escort her to the door.

"Well you have to." Katie insisted.

"Really?" The blonde pouted like a child.

"Really." Naomi assured her. They managed to get her down the stairs and out onto the street, leaning her against the wall while they waited for Emily. She had gone to get their coats.

"She's pissed." Naomi giggled when Pandora slide down the wall and ended up slumped over sitting on the street.

"No we're pissed. She's something more than that." Katie shook her head and laughed.

"Got them." Emily staggered out the doors with her arms full of jackets. "I had a look round for Effy and JJ but I couldn't see them anywhere.

"I think they left ages ago." Naomi wrinkled her nose. She thought Emily had been with her when they watched the girls disappear down the stairs.

"What like together?" Emily's eyes widened. "Like together, together?"

"Looked like it." Naomi shrugged then grinned. "Sorry Katiekins. Looks like Effy stole your woman."

"Fuck off." Katie scowled. Naomi was never going to let her forget about that kiss. The torture she would endure would be endless but at least Emily wasn't mad at her anymore. Thanks to JJ.

"Come on. We better get her home." Naomi, being the most sober of the group, suggested nudging Pandora with her foot.

"We can't bring her home in this state her mother will kill her." Katie remembered the hyper-controlling woman that was Ms Moon. Naomi hadn't thought about that. She looked at the poor drunk girl on the ground and smiled.

"It's alright. We can take her to mine." She said and they pulled her off the ground. Katie and Naomi took an arm each to steer her and Naomi held Emily's hand in her free one.

"I wonder why they left?" Emily thought out loud, still thinking about Effy and JJ. She had that look in her eye that Naomi knew meant she was drunk. Naomi chuckled at her girlfriend's innocence.

"Maybe they went home for a cup of tea." She suggested with an amused grin. Emily stared into space for a second.

"And some garibaldi's?" She asked. Naomi laughed.

"Yeah and some garibaldi's."

-

Effy and JJ lay side by side on the bedroom floor enjoying the feel of the plush carpet against their exposed skin. Three glasses of absinthe on top of all the other alcohol they had consumed that night had done the trick; they were well and truly trashed, as was their intention.

"It's James by the way." Jesse said softly, rolling onto her side to face Effy.

"What is?" Effy looked confused, propping herself on her side.

"My middle name." She explained. "That's what the J's stand for. Jesse James Hennessy. My parents thought it would be a cool name, you know, like the cowboy. Or more accurately like the Cher song about the cowboy. And that kiss with Katie meant nothing." She tagged on at the end feeling in the mood for sharing.

Effy smiled and reached out to brush an errant strand of hair from Jesse's eyes. "Ok."

Her hand fell into a comfortable position on Jesse's neck. She quickly realised she like it a little too much and moved it. "So you're a cowboy then?" She joked.

"Something like that." JJ rolled her eyes and chuckled wryly. "My dad's called Jude right. Named after the Beatles song. And of course he would fall in love with a girl called Alison, which is a song by..."

"Elvis Costello." Effy finished the sentence.

"I'm impressed." She smiled. "They thought it would be a cute idea to name their kids after songs. Which is how you get me Jesse James, from the Cher song Just like Jesse James. And my sister Rhiannon, after the Fleetwood Mac song...Rhiannon."

"That is kind of cute." Effy smiled.

"Not when you're in primary school and the other kids keep asking why you have a boy's name as your middle name." She pointed out.

"I guess not. It's a nice name though. Different. Not like my name." She shrugged.

"Effy is different." JJ argued. She'd certainly never met anyone named Effy before.

"Yeah but that's not my full name is it? It's Elizabeth."

Jesse raised an eyebrow with intrigue. She hadn't known that. She shook her head. "No. You're definitely an Effy." She slurred drunkenly and both girls giggled.

It was starting to get cold where they were lying on the floor. JJ reached up and pulled the comforter off her bed and threw it over them. Her heart fluttered a little when she felt Effy snuggle up to her slightly into the heat of the blanket.

"So why didn't you like kissing Katie then?" Effy asked. Jesse turned to look at her and chuckled slightly.

"Well she's straight for one thing." She pointed out but Effy didn't consider that a valid reason. "And I don't fancy her."

"You don't?" Effy hoped she didn't sound hopeful. "But you do fancy someone else."

"Sort of." Jesse admitted, too much alcohol making her overly honest.

"Who is it?" Effy said poking Jesse in the side. "Tell me."

"No." JJ squirmed under the pointy fingers of Miss Stonem but Effy only poked harder.

"Why not?" Effy tilted her head to the side. JJ looked at her lips; they looked so soft and inviting, so tempting.

"Just. Because it's nothing...A crush. I'd rather suffer in silence and get over it." She sighed knowing she'd never get to kiss those lips, never get to feel them pressed all over her body.

"Is it Emily?" The brunette asked in a soft, quiet voice. JJ looked at her like she had three heads.

"No it's not Emily!" She shook her head. "Why would you say that?"

"Just." Effy shrugged. "Thought that's why you didn't want to tell me...because of Naomi and that."

"Well no. It's definitely not Emily." Jesse almost laughed at how far off Effy had been.

"Well do I know her?" Effy wasn't going to let this slide.

"Yeah. You could say that." JJ smirked. Her answer puzzled the other girl. "Look can we drop this please!"

"Alright. Fine." Effy realised she probably didn't want to know who Jesse fancied. It would only hurt when she found out it wasn't her. They talked about something else, just like that first night it was too easy. They subconsciously shifted closer and closer to each other underneath the blanket as they giggled and chatted into the early hours of the morning. The sun was threatening to peek over the horizon when the tiredness they had been fighting could no longer been held back.

"Goodnight Eff." Jesse said through a yawn, settling down to sleep on the floor because she knew that if she suggested moving into the bed she wouldn't be pressed against Effy's body anymore.

"Goodnight Jesse James." Effy grinned and pressed a soft kiss to Jesse's lips. Her heart quivered slightly at the contact. They curled up closer together and let the sleep take them.

-

"Jay!" A high pitched voice tore her from her sleep. Quickly followed by "Mattie no!" and the sound of her door banging open. The first thing she realised was that she was still on the floor and it was uncomfortable. The second thing she realised was that Effy's arm was wrapped tightly around her and the brunette's face was buried in her back.

"I told you she was sleeping." Jude sighed crossly at his grandson.

"Why is Jay-Jay not in bed?" He asked.

"I don't know." Jude really hadn't got a clue.

"Who is that?" The child referred to the other human shaped lump under the blanket on the floor.

"That's Jess' friend Effy." Jude explained picking the three year old up and tiptoeing out of her room.

"Her girlfriend?" He grinned.

"No." Jude shook his head. "At least I don't think so."

He closed the door gently behind him hoping the girls hadn't been awakened by the intrusion and wondering why the hell they were on the floor when JJ had a perfectly good double bed.

"Great." JJ sighed quietly when the door had closed. "Now even Mattie is against me."

She paused for a moment to think about the situation she was currently in and understood why the child could be mistaken. Effy's arms were still tightly wrapped around her waist and her face was buried in Jesse's hair. Truth be known the intrusion had woke the brunette up as well but she was so comfortable she wasn't ready to move just yet. She was enjoying being surrounded by the scent of Jesse's hair and her skin felt soft under her arms. She didn't even care what that meant. Or what the red head meant about Mattie being against her. Jesse stretched in Effy's arms. Her back was shouting at her for sleeping on the floor, if it hadn't been for the beautiful girl beside her it would have been the most uncomfortable sleep of her life.

"Jay." Effy said softly, alerting the other girl to the fact she was awake. "Why did we sleep on the floor?"

"I don't know." Jesse giggled, rolling over to face her friend. "Seemed like a good idea at the time though." She shrugged.

"The carpet felt nice." Effy agreed then they fell into fits of giggles.

"Shh!" Jesse hushed. "If they hear us in here they will make us get up and have breakfast with them."

Effy looked horrified. It quickly became obvious to the two girls that they were blatantly still pissed from the night before.

"I don't want to get up." Effy pouted, wrapping her arms tighter around JJ's waist and pulling her close. "I want to stay right here."

"Me too." JJ sounded so childlike when she pulled the blanket up over their head. The pile of blankets giggled raucously. They ended up falling back asleep in their little fortress.

-

A particularly rough cough woke Naomi from her sleep with a start. She sat up and covered her mouth as another cough ravaged her lungs. She groaned and curled her body up into itself. She felt terrible. Beside her Emily released a groan of her own and winced in pain when she tried to open her eyes.

"Everything hurts." The red head whimpered. Even the sound of Pandora snoring at the foot of the bed sounded like a chainsaw whirring in her ear.

"I know." Naomi wailed and cuddled in closer to Emily. She felt like shit. She wrapped herself in her girlfriend's arms in the hope it would make her feel better. "I blame JJ for this."

"I do too." Emily assured her. "If I live to find her I will kill her." She vowed, burying her head in Naomi's neck.

"I'll help." The blonde promised, shutting her eyes tight in an attempt to go back to sleep.

"Oh good you're up!" Katie appeared in the doorway and was greeted by a chorus of groans. So much for their idea of sleeping through the pain. "I feel like fucking death." She pouted and approached the bed.

"No."

"No we're not." Emily shook her head and scrunched up her eyes as though she could force herself to sleep.

"I know you are. Naomi's bloody cough woke me in the spare room. You want to get that sorted." Katie wrinkled her nose at the blonde and climbed into bed beside Emily, not caring to check that both parties in the bed were fully dressed. They were thankfully.

"Thanks Katie." Naomi replied half heartedly, she was trying to drown out the twins and go back to sleep.

"Seriously I don't know how Panda is still sleeping; she must really be unconscious because I'm pretty sure next door have put a noise complaint in against you." Katie continued to ramble about Naomi's cough. Her twin's presence was having an energising effect on Emily who was much more awake now.

"She has a point baby. You probably should see a doctor." The younger twin nodded her expression loaded with concern.

"If I promise to see a doctor will you both shut up and go back to sleep?" Naomi grunted but they weren't listening to her.

"We should go into town." Katie suggested. Emily was definitely opposed to the idea.

"No way. I can't move my legs I'm so hungover." She complained.

"Oh come on. Please." The brunette pleaded. "It'll make us feel better a bit of retail therapy. Buying stuff always makes me feel better."

"Alright." Emily whined. "If I say yes will you go to sleep for like an hour first?" She negotiated, nestling into Naomi's arms with her face towards Katie.

"Alright deal." Katie was less than amused at the fact that she would have to wait but she lay down beside her sister anyway and tried to sleep. It was rather difficult though with Pandora's excessive snoring ringing in her ears.


	9. Coffee and tattoos?

Later in the afternoon the two girls surfaced and came downstairs to the kitchen where Jude was waiting for them. They both wore somewhat pained expressions as they took seats at the table.

"Good night last night?" He asked with a smug smile.

"Yeah, brilliant." Jesse answered half heartedly.

"Really good." Effy echoed in a similar tone. Jude laughed.

"I'll make you some breakfast, or as I should call it at this hour brunch." He began to prepare bland foods that wouldn't excite their sensitive stomachs.

"Jay-Jay!" That excited voice from this morning cried and the blonde tot came running towards her.

"Hello Mattie." She smiled through her pain and ruffled his hair.

"I'm glad you're awake." He beamed and gave her a big hug. Effy thought it was the cutest scene ever.

"Seriously he's been looking to wake you up since he got here this morning." Jude confirmed.

"Why were you sleeping on the floor?" The child asked in an amused manner. Jesse looked at Effy and giggled.

"We just fell asleep on the floor." The simplest explanation was always best. "Mattie did you say hello to Effy?"

The boy looked at the brunette then hid his face shyly in Jesse's shoulder. Effy chuckled at how cute he was. Jesse lifted his head from her shoulder to look in his eyes.

"Are you pretending to be shy?" She laughed as did Jude. "You're not shy!"

"I am." He argued.

"He's really not." Jude commented, setting a plate of toast down on the table. "Come on shy boy let's leave the girls to eat their breakfast in peace."

"He's cute." Effy smiled when they left.

"Please tell me you're talking about Mattie." JJ teased. Effy raised her eyebrows suggestively and poked her tongue out at the red head. JJ grimaced.

"Yes Mattie." Effy rolled her eyes. "Do I ever get to meet your sister?"

"You hang around here long enough I'm sure you will." Jesse shrugged; though she was secretly dreading Rhiannon meeting Effy because her sister was sure to interrogate her to find out if there was anything going on between them. She made a mental note to make sure they were never left alone together.

"So how are you feeling Eff?" She asked munching on a piece of toast.

"Surprisingly well considering how drunk we were." The brunette answered.

"Feel up to doing something today then?" She asked. She was enjoying spending time with Effy so much she didn't want to part just yet.

"Alright." Effy shrugged. She wasn't ready to leave just yet either.

"Want to head into town?"

"Alright." She nodded.

"You're very compliant." Jesse said with a grin. "I like that in a girl."

Effy shook her head and giggled; refusing to acknowledge the shiver that thought sent down her back. After breakfast they returned to Jesse's room. Effy threw herself on the bed and felt like she was sinking into it.

"Your bed is so comfortable. Why didn't we sleep here last night?" She asked, perplexed.

"I have no idea." Jesse said lying down beside her. "My back is aching!"

"Mine too. Next time we sleep in the bed." Effy informed the other girl who was quite thrilled at the thought of there being a next time. Waking up with the brunette's arms wrapped around her had not been the worst experience in the world.

"Deal." She agreed. "But right now we should get up because I'll fall asleep again and we wouldn't want to waste the day now, would we?"

"No we would not." Effy replied half heartedly. She couldn't help thinking that a day spent in bed with JJ would be far from a waste.

"I'm going to take a quick shower; make me feel more human. I won't be long, make yourself at home." She smiled and left the room.

Effy used this time to properly look around Jesse's room; she had been much too drunk to take it in last night. There was a bookcase in the far corner with shelves full of CDs, DVDs and books, which Effy noticed were all organised alphabetically. She scanned the titles to see if there was anything she recognised. All she could say was Jesse definitely had a varied taste in music, there was a bit of everything on the shelves. She had good taste in movies too, well mostly. On her bedside table there were three pictures. One of a younger JJ holding a child, probably Mattie, another more recent one of Jesse, Jude, Mattie and a blonde girl who looked just like Jude whom Effy presumed to be Rhiannon. The last picture was old and kind of grainy. It was of a woman in her twenties, maybe, in a white wedding dress smiling coyly in front of the camera. She had the same blue eyes that Effy had been thinking about more and more recently. She picked up the picture to examine it further.

"My mum." Jesse's voice shocked her. She looked up to find the girl standing in the doorway with a towel wrapped around her. She crossed the room to stand beside Effy and took the photo from her hands and looked at it lovingly. "That was her on her wedding day."

"She's beautiful." Effy half whispered. She realised she'd never asked about the other girl's mother before. "You look like her."

"Really?" Jesse lifted her eyes from the picture to look in Effy's crystal blue orbs.

"Yeah." She smiled and nodded.

"My dad thinks so too but I've never been able to see it. I mean look at her she's stunning." She smiled but Effy could still hear the pain underneath her words. She ran her finger across the woman in the pictures face and looked at Effy again. "She died when I was 5."

Effy's mouth fell open, she had sort of been expecting something like that but she was still shocked. The girl was so young when she lost her mother.

"She was killed in a car crash, driving home from work." The girl's eyes glistened with tears.

"I...I'm sorry...I didn't know." Effy instinctively reached out to her and pulled her in for a hug. She felt terrible for bringing it up.

"How could you?" Jesse shrugged and blinked away the tears. "Anyway it was a long time ago...people shouldn't be afraid to talk about it."

"It doesn't bother you?" She asked quizzically.

"Not really. I miss her, but she was my mum I don't want to not talk about her." Jesse shrugged then changed the subject. "Do you want to shower?"

"Yes, please, that would be nice." Effy nodded.

"There's towels and stuff in the bathroom. You know where it is." She smiled. Effy crossed the room stopping in the doorway to look back at JJ. She opened her mouth to say something but she didn't know what she wanted to say. More than anything she just wanted to take her in her arms and make everything better; but she knew she couldn't do that.

"I won't be long." She smiled weakly and left the room.

Jesse replaced the picture on her table and switched on her laptop to select some music. She pulled on her underwear and a pair of skinny jeans and dug her hair dryer out of the drawer. She got so carried away singing along with Florence and the machine and drying her hair that she didn't hear Effy re-enter the room. When she turned around and saw the brunette standing in nothing but a towel she jumped out of her skin. Effy was grinning at what she had just observed and she was also staring very intently at JJ's exposed skin, following the lines of her floral tattoo up and down her rib cage. The familiar tingle she felt between her legs in appreciation of the sight shocked her as much as it excited her.

"Uh Eff..." Jesse narrowed her eyes at the supposedly straight girl who was checking her out. Effy managed to tear her eyes from JJ's body to look in her amazing blue eyes. "You're kind of staring."

"Oh...yeah...sorry." She stammered feeling her cheeks flush red.

"It's ok." The half naked girl chuckled. "What's the point in having this body if it isn't being perved on?" She winked.

"I wasn't perving!" She replied a little bit too defensively. "I was...appreciating. You're tattoo is very pretty."

"Thanks. It was a birthday present from Jude." She smiled. "Remember Sara from last night? Her girlfriend designed it for me."

"It's gorgeous." Effy stole another peak at Jesse's beautiful curves under the guise of checking out the ink again.

"You need clothes." Jesse suddenly realised. "Jeans might be a problem but I'm sure dresses and long tops will fit you just fine. Take whatever you want out of the wardrobe."

"Good point." Effy smirked standing tall beside Jesse. "How small are you exactly?"

"4ft 11 and a half." JJ bit her lower lip and glared at happy.

"And a half?" Effy giggled, reaching up on her tiptoes and looking down on JJ. Jesse retaliated by standing on her tiptoes and giving her a playful shove.

"My doctor said it's important." She retorted, feeling Effy shove back. "Not my fault you're a giant freak."

"5ft 6 isn't that tall for a girl." The brunette pointed out grabbing Jesse's arms before she could push her again.

"I didn't say anything about you being tall." She stuck her tongue out at the girl because she knew she had won. Effy conceded defeat, relaxing her hold on the other girl's wrists but not letting go completely. Their eyes locked and the air became thick with tension.

"This wardrobe then?" Effy cleared her throat suddenly too aware that they were both quite undressed. Jesse sucked in a deep breath.

-

"See Naomi now doesn't the fresh air just make you feel better?" Katie drew in a deep breath and smiled as they walked down the high street. The surly and slightly ropey looking blonde refused to respond knowing anything she was thinking of saying would only earn her a slap from her girlfriend.

"It is a nice day." Emily mused looking at the sky. The sun was trying to peek through the clouds and it was only mildly chilly.

"Exactly!" Katie nodded. "Perfect shopping conditions."

The brunette twin then proceeded to drag them round all of her favourite shops in search for that one item that was out there somewhere that would make her feel better when she owned it. Emily had fun browsing too; she even picked up a new top. Naomi trudged along behind them dutifully holding their bags when they needed to use the changing rooms. She really wasn't in the mood for shopping. She really wasn't in the mood for anything but curling up in bed beside her lover and waiting for her hangover to pass; but there was no chance of that happening now.

"I'm going outside for a smoke." She informed the twins as they rummaged through the rails in a vintage clothing shop that Emily loved. They nodded without taking their eyes from the clothes and she rolled her eyes.

She stood outside the shop, leaning her back against the shop and lit up. She relaxed slightly as the nicotine entered her blood stream and made her feel a little better. Emily was right, it actually was quite a nice day given the time of year. She sucked another puff of her cigarette and watched the people passing. In the distance she saw two familiar faces that made her smirk and intrigued her.

"Hi." She said in an almost amused tone.

"Hey." Effy greeted her.

"How are you feeling today?" JJ asked. Naomi had been so preoccupied with speculating what was going on with the two girls that she forgot one of them was to blame for the rotten hangover that was torturing her.

"I feel like shit! Thank you very much." She raised an accusing eyebrow at the red head whose mouth fell open in indignation.

"You say that like it's my fault." She huffed.

"It is your fault." Naomi stated plainly. "You with your shots."

"My shots?" Jesse's voice rose a little. "I think you'll find that I did not order that first round of shots. Technically Sara is to blame." She argued.

"You ordered the second round." Naomi reminded her, flicking her butt away.

"Oh yeah." She chuckled, blushing slightly. "Sorry."

"Where did you two sneak off to anyway?" She asked, still with that accusing tone, noting the fact that the clothes Effy was wearing almost certainly did not belong to the brunette. The two girls shared a look and a smile.

"We went home." Jesse shrugged.

"Together?" The blonde raised an eyebrow and smirked.

"Maybe." Effy replied coolly.

"Uh huh." Naomi smiled and gave them a look that told them she was onto them.

"Did you have a good night?" JJ asked.

"Yeah it was fun. You should have seen the state..."

"What's taking you so long?" Katie demanded, popping her head out of the shop. She was surprised to see the three of them standing there.

"Hey Katie." JJ smiled, hoping the twin would not feel awkward after their kiss now she was sober.

"Hello." She smiled back as if nothing had happened.

"What's going on?" Emily asked, wondering to see what was keeping her sister. "Oh hi guys."

"Hey." They greeted her. The twins stepped out of the shop and joined the congregation in front of the window.

"What are you guys up to?" Katie asked nosily.

"We just thought we'd come into town for a bit." Jesse shrugged. "I guess great minds really do think alike, eh Katiekins?"

"So it would seem." She smiled.

"Where did you go last night?" Emily asked remembering their vanishing act in the club.

"We went home." Effy explained. JJ looked at her wondering if she realised she had just referred to the Hennessy household as home.

"Together." Naomi added with a poorly contained grinned. She loved being right.

"Oh." Emily didn't know what to say. She couldn't exactly just come out and ask them if they had slept together or were thinking of sleeping together. Thankfully her girlfriend saved her from the silence.

"I was just telling them about Pandora." Naomi informed the twins.

"Oh God!" Katie gasped. "You should have seen her! Dancing away like an idiot, talking shit to random gay guys...I swear she must have fallen over at least 5 times as well."

Effy and Jesse giggled. If their own little private party hadn't been so much fun they might have felt bad about missing out.

"She had to go home this morning and reassure her mum it had been nothing but a girly sleepover at Jesse's house." Emily added.

"Oh Angela." Effy rolled her eyes.

"Anyway what are you two doing now?" Katie asked nosily. Effy and Jesse looked at each other then back at Katie.

"Nothing really." Effy shrugged.

"I was about to suggest we get some coffee. I need coffee." JJ said. "Would you three like to join us?"

"Yes." Naomi answered without a moment's hesitation. This plan had the duel bonus of no longer shopping and a caffeine hit.

"Where?" Katie asked as they began to walk down the street.

"I know a place. Luce's." Jesse smiled to herself. "Best coffee in town."

"I've never heard of it." Katie shook her head, unable to imagine why she had never heard of it. Emily grinned beside her sister when she realised why her sister didn't know where it was. JJ led them the short distance around a couple of corners and stopped outside the tattoo shop.

"Here?" Katie asked incredulously looking at the red head like she'd lost the plot. "We're going here? For coffee?"

"Best coffee in town Katiekins. I assure you." JJ grinned and entered the building.

"Back so soon?" Luce greeted her brightly. "And I see you brought a bigger audience this time. It's nice to see you again Emily"

"We're just here for coffee." Jesse informed her while Katie, Naomi and Effy speculated about how JJ knew this strange woman and how she knew Emily. She seemed to be very well connected in the world of Bristol lesbians.

"Oh yes that's right you were out last night." The purple haired woman recollected. "How was it?"

"A little bit messy." She chuckled.

"Well don't be so rude JJ introduce your friends."

"Sorry. This is Katie, Emily's twin sister, Naomi, Emily's girlfriend, and this is Effy." JJ explained.

"No connection to Emily." Effy added with a giggle.

"Any connection to JJ?" Luce asked suggestively.

"Not as yet." Effy smirked back. Luce nodded approvingly at JJ.

They ordered their coffee and sat down on the big couches to hang out for a while.

"Why here?" Katie asked, after tasting the coffee and finding no discernable difference between it and the coffee you could get in any generic café.

"It's cheap, it's comfy and the manager doesn't get pissy if you want to spend the whole afternoon her chilling out." She pointed out.

"Fair enough." Katie accepted that it was a very good point.

Luce sat down beside them and they animatedly discussed the previous night's events, carefully skimming over the Katie and JJ kiss so as not to embarrass either party or incite Emily again. JJ had been right about the atmosphere in the tattoo shop, it was all too easy for them to spend the rest of their afternoon there. While they were sipping on their first refills the door to the shopped pushed open and a tall, thin girl with shoulder length dark brown almost black hair walked in. She wore tight fitting faded denim jeans with a black leather biker jacket. She was like something right off the pages of a magazine.

"Gabe!" Jesse cried out excitedly when she recognised her.

"Thank God." Luce sighed. "I was worried it was a customer."

"Nope. Just me." The girl smiled almost shyly, a little intimidated by the large group of people she didn't know.

"Come sit down." JJ encouraged her, patting the seat beside her that wasn't occupied by Effy. "Meet people."

"Ok." She looked a little frightened as she took her seat. She looked at them nervously with the most amazing hazel eyes.

"Gabe this is, Naomi, Emily, Katie and Effy." She gestured to each girl as she introduced them. "Everyone, my good friend Gabe."

"It's Leah!" She informed them, not wanting them to think Gabe was actually her name. They would only call her that and she was trying to shake that nickname. The girls looked confused.

"It's a stupid nickname Jesse gave me when we first met and I can't get her to stop calling me it." The girl elaborated. Effy felt a small knot form in the pit of her stomach when she realised that this girl shared a history with JJ that she knew nothing about.

"Why _do _you call her Gabe?" Luce asked, suddenly realising she didn't know.

"Because when I met her she was just a little gay-by." JJ laughed and gave Leah a patronising hair ruffle.

"That was almost a year ago." The dark haired girl groaned. Jesse shook her head and pouted.

"Oh Leah." She sighed. "You will always be my gay-by."

"Leave her alone Jay." Luce said in a warning tone. "Don't forget I remember how you were when you were fresh out of the closet."

"Promptly shutting up now." Jesse pretended to zip her lips.

"Now if you'll excuse me I actually do have an appointment soon so I better go set up." Luce climbed of the arm of the sofa. "Help yourself to the coffee if you want more while I'm gone Jesse knows where it is."

"Thanks." They smiled at her as she disappeared into the side room.

"So...Leah...how come we haven't seen you around?" Katie asked, wanting to know more about Jesse's friend. She suddenly wished she had dressed a bit nicer this morning but she had been severely hungover.

"I go to Badminton." She informed them with a nod anticipating their reaction. The all girls boarding school elicited the same reaction in most people, shock and a little confusion as to why anyone would want to go there.

"Really?" Emily asked in a shocked tone.

"I know. I get that a lot but it's a good school." She shrugged wishing there wasn't so much attention being focused on her.

"Just a shame about the people in it, eh?" JJ scoffed.

"Well yeah." Leah giggled. "It does majorly suck now you're gone."

"Hang on..." Katie held her hand up to clarify a point. "_You _went to Badminton?"

Naomi and Effy looked just as shocked.

"What did you think I just materialised in second year at Roundview?" Jesse chuckled.

"Well no. I never really thought about what school you went to but I never would have guessed Badminton." She shrugged.

"Why? Do I not look like posh boarding school material or something?" The red head feigned being insulted.

"No...It's not that." Katie's face flushed.

"Relax Katiekins...I'm just messing with you." She assured the older twin.

"Katiekins." Leah nodded in appreciation. "Why couldn't I get a nice nickname like that?"

"She was already Katiekins when I met her, sorry." JJ smiled unsympathetically. She liked the nickname. "Anyway we were just talking about Kitty Killer last night, it was their first time."

"Not everyone is a victim of that place like you." Leah smirked. "Was it any good?"

"Yeah." Emily nodded and smiled, wanting to engage Jesse's friend in their conversation.

"I had a great night." Effy added.

"Really? For the whole two hours you were there." Naomi raised her eyebrow and smirked at the brunette who glared at her.

"Just because I left doesn't mean I didn't have a great night." Effy replied raising her own eyebrow pointedly at Naomi.

"Is that so?" The blonde grinned. She knew there was something going on between Effy and JJ.

"I clearly missed something didn't I?" Leah wrinkled her nose in confusion.

"Effy left the club early last night...with JJ." Emily filled the girl in with an amused look on her face. She was enjoying this teasing almost as much as Naomi. Leah turned to her friend and smiled at her. JJ rolled her eyes.

"Ok Campbell we get it you're a gossip now can we please move this conversation along?" She had to fight to contain her grin when Effy shot her an amused look. If Jesse didn't know any better she'd swear the brunette was enjoying all the speculation.

"Alright." Naomi pouted because she had been called a gossip and had her fun ruined.

They made small talk and joked around for another hour or so. Everyone in the group warmed to Leah instantly, she was so unimposing and friendly it was hard not to feel like she had always been part of the group.

"So are you guys doing anything tonight?" Leah asked. "Because I really fancy a drink."

"We hadn't got any plans...but I'm sure I could be persuaded." JJ grinned impishly. "How about you guys?"

"No." Naomi said firmly. No way could she deal with another hangover like this. Although the night had been really good fun. "Well maybe..."

"I'm in." Effy grinned at Jesse and she felt butterflies in her stomach. Emily and Katie looked at each other thoughtfully. Emily would definitely go if Naomi was going and Katie really didn't want to miss out. Plus it couldn't hurt to get to know Leah a bit better. She was rather fashionable; something that couldn't be said for a lot of her friends.

"Us too." The older twin spoke for both of them.

"Let me guess..." Jesse looked at Leah. "Kitty Killer?"

"It's not like there are a lot of other good gay bars in town." Leah pointed out with a glare.

"And you call me a victim." Jesse rolled her eyes. "Then again happy hour is till 12 on Saturdays so...what do you say Katie, think you can handle another night in a gay bar?"

"Yes." Katie made a displeased face at the insinuation that she couldn't.

"Great, then we'll see you tonight?" JJ asked as Leah got up to leave. "Why don't we meet in the cocktail bar at 10? Make the most of happy hour?"

"Sounds like a plan! I'll see you there." She flashed a dazzling smile that took Katie's breath away slightly. "It was nice meeting you all."

"You too." Katie smiled back at the girl, her brown eyes twinkling. Something that of course was picked up on by Effy.

"See you later Gabe." JJ said giving the girl a hug before she left.

"I can't believe you talked me into going out again." Naomi shook her head. Everyone laughed.

"It didn't take much convincing." Emily scoffed. The prospect of heading out again that evening cleared up whatever remained of their hangovers. They paid Luce for the copious cups of coffee they had consumed and extended an invite to join them that night.

"You have to come." Emily informed her sternly. "Since you didn't show up last night."

Luce looked extremely amused. "Well alright Red. I guess I'll see you there then."

"Good." She smiled that cute little smile of hers and they were gone.

"Damn!" Luce chuckled to herself when they left. "Why are the cute ones always taken?"


	10. It gives you character

Jesse was in the middle of straightening her hair when she heard her bedroom door open. She had been vaguely aware of the doorbell ringing a couple of minutes ago but thought nothing of it until now. She quickly spun around to see who it was; finding herself secretly hoping it would be Effy though she would never admit to that. She felt a little bit disappointed when she found Leah standing in the doorway rather than the brunette. Luckily it was shock that showed on her face, not disappointment.

"Gabe! What are you doing here?" She asked, sounding pleasantly surprised.

"I was ready early so I thought I'd call round." She shrugged and made her way to sit down on Jesse's bed.

"Alright." Jesse shrugged, eyeing the girl suspiciously. "Although next time you could try knocking."

"Why?" Leah smirked. "Because you might be in here getting freaky with someone? Perhaps a certain leggy brunette?"

The dark haired girl studied JJ's face for a response to her provocation. The red head blushed slightly and rolled her eyes.

"Oh please! Not you too." JJ groaned and resumed straightening her hair.

"I notice you didn't deny it." Leah pointed out with an amused grin.

"That's because I've tried denying it but it doesn't seem to have any effect." She sighed. Were her feelings for Effy really that transparent? And if so did that mean that Effy could see them too? Shit that would be disastrous.

"That's because it's pretty clear you're into her." Leah mused, getting up to examine something on Jesse's desk that caught her attention. "And that she's into you."

"What?" Jesse scoffed. "Now I _know_ you're crazy!"

"I most certainly am not!" The other girl responded haughtily. "And what is this?"

Jesse turned to find Leah holding up the half empty bottle of absinthe from the previous night. She couldn't help but smile when thoughts of her night with Effy rushed into her mind. She narrowed her eyes at Leah.

"Can't you read?"

"Yes, what I meant was what is this doing here?" She clarified. A realisation dawned on her and she raised her perfectly manicured eyebrow. "Is this what you two got up to last night after you ran off into the night together?"

"Maybe." Jesse replied coolly trying to get Leah to take the hint that she doesn't want to talk about it.

"Did you sleep together?" Leah asked with an approving smile, crossing the room to stand in front of the red head.

"In the sense that we were unconscious together yes. In any other sense no." Jesse answered quite plainly, trying to ignore the little pang of disappointment that hit her.

"But you want to." Leah grinned triumphantly. "I knew it! I can see it in your eyes Jay. I knew there was something going on with you two when I met you today!"

"Leah!" Jesse groaned, hoping that the use of the girl's proper name would give her an idea of how much she wanted her to stop talking about this. "Drop it."

"Ok. Ok. Dropping it." She held her hands up in surrender and dropped back down on the bed.

"Thank you." Jesse sighed in relief as she put the finishing touches to her makeup.

"So that Katie girl, she seems pretty cool." Leah tried to sound casual. JJ laughed.

"Sorry Gabe. She's straight." She gave her an apologetic look. "At least that's what she told me after our kiss last night." She giggled.

"Wait, what? Take it back a little there." Leah jumped up on the bed, eyes wide with shock. "You kissed her?"

"If you can even call it that." Jesse shrugged. "It was more like a stupid drunken experiment."

"Experiment, eh?" You could practically see the cogs turning in the dark haired girl's head. "So she could still be swayed, she just wasn't impressed by your kissing skills."

"You know..." JJ looked at her with a bemused expression. "I think I liked you better when you were annoying me about Effy."

-

Effy was pacing around her room waiting for Pandora to arrive. She was wearing tight black jeans and a white vest top with an arty picture of a half naked fairy surrounded by flowers printed on it in black. A half smoked cigarette left a tail of smoke in her wake as she walked back and forth. She tried to play it down. They were going out tonight. JJ lives just around the corner. So it just made fiscal sense to share a taxi to the club with her. And Pandora. After the day of teasing and intrusive questions they had endured about their little private party last night she had thought it prudent to invite Pandora to avoid suspicion. Her text alert sounded and she crossed the room to read it.

'**Sorry Eff won't make it out tonight. Mum don't want me staying out two nights in a row so I'm sitting in and we're making fairy cakes! Really sorry. You'll have a super duper good time with JJ and the girls anyway. X'**

The brunette groaned and stamped her foot in frustration. There goes avoiding suspicion. There goes her whole fucking plan. She sent some form of reply to the crazy blonde and tried to formulate another plan. She decided she would just head round to JJ's suggesting they share a taxi and hope it seemed casual. Why did she so desperately want to be around Jesse so much anyway? Usually she didn't want to be around anyone at all. Interacting with people on a one-to-one basis had never been something she particularly enjoyed but with JJ it was different, it was easy; like she couldn't help but make conversation with her. It was strange. Almost as strange as the tingling sensation that rippled through her body at the slightest contact with the red head. She shook her head, grabbed her leather jacket and headed out the door. All that pacing would achieve would be a worn out patch on the floor.

She walked up the familiar driveway, tossing her cigarette butt aside before she stepped up to the door and rang the bell. A blonde girl, of average height with Jude's bone structure answered the door. Effy was startled by the blonde because she had expected Jesse or Jude to answer the door.

"You must be Effy." The girl said with a knowing smile. This must be the girl her baby sister was so clearly falling for. And considering the fact that JJ hadn't mentioned that she would be calling round Rhiannon figured Effy might have a little thing for her too.

"Rhiannon, right?" She smiled back.

"Yeah I'm Jesse's big sister. Come on in. I've heard a lot about you." The blonde watched the girl as she stepped inside the house. "Jesse!" She yelled up the stairs.

"What?" JJ's voice screeched from the top of the stairs.

"Someone here to see you." Rhiannon called back looking rather amused.

"Who the hell could that be?" Jesse wondered out loud. After her previous disappointment she knew not to expect Effy. She just hoped to hell that it wasn't Amy.

"I don't know. Hey why didn't you tell me Rhiannon was here?" Leah demanded, getting up and following Jesse from the room.

"Because you didn't ask." Jesse shrugged and looked confused. She stopped dead halfway down the stairs when she saw Effy standing in her hall. Her heart stopped dead too.

"What the fuck?" Leah yelped when she walked right into the red head. She looked down and saw the leggy brunette they had been discussing earlier and grinned. "Interesting."

"Hi." She couldn't keep the smile from her face as she continued down the steps and it didn't go un-noticed by her all too inquisitive sister.

"Hey." The brunette smiled back. Suddenly she didn't feel so confused or angry anymore.

"I thought we could share a taxi to the club. I was supposed to go with Pandora but she has a prior engagement." Effy explained thinking everyone was probably wondering what she was doing there. Jesse raised a questioning eyebrow at her. "Making fairy cakes with her mum."

"Wow." Rhiannon chuckled.

"Sounds...wonderful." Leah added sarcastically.

"I hope you don't mind." Effy shrugged. She couldn't see Jesse having a problem with it. Although she didn't know that Leah was going to be there. Why was Leah there? She didn't want to think about it. She didn't know what kind of friends the two girls were. For all she knew they could be fuck buddies and she had just interrupted a quickie. The thought made her feel sick. She really hoped it wasn't true.

"No, of course not." The red head smiled uncontrollably. She wished she could stop because she'd never hear the end of it from her sister later.

"Hello Leah, by the way, I didn't know you were here." Rhiannon greeted the green eyed girl in an effort to take some of the focus off Effy.

"I know. Your rude ass sister failed to mention that you were home." Leah nodded toward JJ.

"Bad Jess. Very bad Jess." Rhiannon chastised her. She rolled her eyes and ignored both of them.

"So now you've met my sister." Jesse smiled at Effy while Rhiannon and Leah were talking on the sidelines. She was feeling uncomfortable from the amount of embarrassing things Rhiannon might have done before she called her down the stairs.

"Now I have." The brunette nodded.

"She didn't...I mean...She wasn't...She didn't say or do anything embarrassing before I came down the stairs did she?" She asked hoping desperately that the answer was no. Effy laughed and shook her head.

"Were you expecting her to?" She asked curiously.

"She _is_ Jude's daughter." Jesse shrugged, smiling as a wave of relief washed over her.

"You should totally come out with us tonight!" They heard Leah insist to their laugh. Rhiannon considered it. With one last look at her sister and Effy she agreed. It was pretty obvious Jesse was going to need some assistance realising her feelings and acting on them.

"Hey Dad!" She poked her head into the living room.

"Yes, love?" Jude asked appearing in the doorway to see what was going on. "Oh hello Leah...Effy." He greeted the girls. Leah noted how he was not at all surprised by Effy's presence in the house.

"Don't suppose you feel like looking after my son tonight?" She smiled sweetly at her father. "Leah and Jesse have invited me to join them."

"No problem." He happily agreed. He thought it was important for Rhiannon to get out when she could. Most of her time is spent either working or looking after her little boy and it's not like he was doing anything else.

"Thanks Dad!" She leaned up on her tip toes and kissed her father's cheek.

"Yay! Leah's coming!" Leah cheered.

"Let me go change." She grinned, giving Leah a look that told her to follow her.

"Your sister doesn't swing both ways does she?" Effy smirked as the two girls disappeared up the stairs together. Jesse laughed.

"No. But I wouldn't put it passed Leah to try to change that. She's been hitting on my sister for as long as we've been friends." She chuckled.

-

"You're going out with JJ again tonight?" Kieran asked Naomi as searched the living room for her missing shoe.

"Yeah that's right." She answered only half listening to the Irish man's ramblings.

"I'm not sure how I feel about you corrupting the new girl." He teased. Naomi rolled her eyes.

"It was her idea actually. She's corrupting me!" She argued.

"I find that hard to believe. I think Katie over there corrupted you a long time ago." He joked. Katie half giggled, still unsure of how to react to a non-school bound Kieran. "Emily is the only innocent one left among you."

"Thanks Kieran." The red head smiled sweetly and held up a shoe. "Is this is?"

"Yes." Naomi cried out with joy and pulled the shoe onto her bare foot before giving Emily a chaste kiss on the lips. "Thank you."

"Now can we go?" Katie asked impatiently. She was anxious to get to the club and get a few drinks in her. Then maybe she could settle the butterflies that flapped around in her stomach at the thought of getting to know Leah a little better.

"Yes." Naomi replied like a petulant child and Katie smiled in satisfaction.

There was already a small line forming outside the building when they arrived just after 10 o'clock, or fashionably late as Katie would call it. They began to worry about whether they would get into the club tonight without JJ at their side. It was the same bouncer as the night before, AJ and she seemed to recognise them as she beckoned them to the front of the line.

"Back so soon?" She flashed them a cheerful grin.

"We just can't get enough of the place." Naomi replied.

"They're waiting for you in the cocktail bar." The tall woman informed them. They nodded then looked at each other in confusion. AJ laughed. "It's that way."

She pointed them in the right direction and returned her attention to the gathering crowd outside.

"I didn't know there was a cocktail bar here." Katie commented as they walked down the hall.

"Me either." Naomi shrugged and her forehead wrinkled in confusion.

"I definitely have no recollection of being in here last night." Emily was almost certain when they walked into the cocktail lounge. The walls were lined with booths with deep purple leather seats. In the middle of the room there was a small square bar that was set up specifically for making cocktails. It was nice and a lot quieter than the nightclub.

"Hey!" Jesse spotted them walking in and rushed over to greet them with hugs and kisses on the cheek. She led them to the booth where Leah, Effy and Rhiannon were sitting sipping their drinks from cocktail glasses. Katie wondered who the new girl was. She was pretty, blonde, average height, perfect smile. Katie wondered if she was Leah's girlfriend. She also wondered why she felt a bit upset at the thought of Leah having a girlfriend.

"Emily, Katie, Naomi...this is my sister Rhiannon." Jesse smiled broadly as she introduced her sister. "Ria this is Emily, Naomi and Katie."

"It's nice to finally put names to faces." Rhiannon smiled at the girls.

"Drinks!" JJ shouted when she noticed their empty hands. "I'll go get you guys some drinks, the first round is on me. Does anyone else want one?"

She looked around to gauge the amount of alcohol left in all their glasses. "I'll get you some anyway." She smiled and skipped off to the bar.

"What's with her?" Katie asked, watching the red head's actions with amusement. "She couldn't possibly be drunk already? Did you slip her something?" She asked Effy.

"Why would you assume _I_ would do something like that?" The brunette was affronted. Katie raised her eyebrow. "No I didn't!"

"She's just a bit hyper." Rhiannon shrugged. "That's probably my fault. I don't get to go out with her much these days so when we do she gets a bit...excited."

"I'm going to go help her with the drinks. She seems intent on getting us all completely wasted tonight." Effy chuckled and headed towards the bar.

"Of course you're going to help her." Leah muttered under her breath, an amused glint flashing in her eye.

"So do any of you know what the story with those two is?" Rhiannon asked, completely bypassing the pleasantries. That was just her way.

"You're guess is as good as ours." Emily shrugged. She and Naomi and even Katie had been debating that very topic on the way to the club.

"It's pretty fucking obvious they fancy each other though." Naomi directed everyone's attention to where the two girls were standing at the bar. They were chatting about something while they waited for the drinks; they were looking deeply into each other's eyes, making physical contact with each other at every available opportunity.

"Yeah to everyone but them maybe." Leah rolled her eyes.

"So what are we going to do about it?" Rhiannon asked the group.

"Do about it?" Katie looked confused.

"Yes, dear Katiekins," Leah nodded. Katie couldn't help but feel pleased at Leah using the familiar term. "Our little JJ over there appears to be completely oblivious to the fact that Effy is flirtatiously throwing herself at her. We need to do something to help her see that."

"Ok." She agreed more because it would give her a chance to talk to Leah than because she wanted to JJ and Effy to get together. Although she couldn't understand why that was and she would never actually admit it.

"Good to have you on board." The dark haired girl gave her a bright smile that actually made her heart stop a little. Rhiannon shook her head and rolled her eyes. Leah really was shameless.

"Here they come." Naomi warned them as the girls in question returned to the table.

"What did we miss?" JJ asked as they set the glasses down on the table; 7 glasses of reddish purple liquid.

"What's this then?" Katie asked when she was handed a glass.

"That my dear is a Kitty Killer." Leah informed her with a grin and a devilish look in her hazel eyes.

"What's in it?" Emily asked, venturing a sip.

"Fuck if I know but it tastes good!" Jesse smiled and took her seat beside Effy. The other girls noted how close they were sitting. They sipped over their drinks and engaged in friendly chat. Rhiannon was taking an interest in getting to know her sister's new friends. Katie was doing everything she could to gather as much information about Leah as possible.

"I'm going for a smoke." Naomi announced after draining the last of the liquid in her glass. Jesse was right those cocktails were nice.

"Me too." Emily stood up beside her girlfriend.

"Sounds like a plan. You coming?" Effy nodded and nudged Jesse with her shoulder. The red head shrugged and nodded. Leah and Rhiannon shared a look.

"Well I'm going to use the bathroom while they're all gone." Rhiannon said, knowing very well that Leah would not be abject to spending some time alone with the brunette twin.

"I'll stay here and keep Katie company then." Leah grinned. "We'll get the drinks in."

When she stood up Katie was able to fully take in her form for the first time that night. She was wearing an off-white lace tea dress that was practically see through. Katie could see the muscle lines in the girls flat stomach and it made her heart beat faster when her eyes travelled upwards, lingering on the girl's cleavage. The colour looked amazing against her olive skin tone. What the fuck? Katie assured herself that she was just appreciating the other girl's beauty. Girl's do that.

"Katie." Leah was singing her name trying to get her attention.

"Huh...what?" Katie looked up quickly, feeling her face flush.

"See something you like." The dark haired beauty teased with an amused grin. She hadn't missed the way Katie had been looking at her.

"Oh...Your dress..." She stammered. "It's really pretty. It suits you." She finished more confidently.

"Thank you." Leah smiled and quickly paid the bar tender. "You look pretty damn good yourself."

"Thanks." Katie felt very pleased with herself and smoothed down her grey silk skirt. All the effort she had put into choosing her outfit had paid off. Summoning a bit more of her confidence back she added. "I'm just not used to lesbians having such good fashion sense."

Leah laughed as they carried the drinks back to the table.

"I mean Naomi looks fine now, but you should have seen some of the outfits she wore back when she and Emily first started going out. It was like she was terrified of solid colour."

"That bad?" Leah laughed. "You do have a point though. I like a girl to look like a girl. I mean otherwise I could just go out with a boy. No thanks!" She sipped her drink.

"I like them with long, wavy hair falling round their face, in skirts and high heels with an excellent set of tits." She watched Katie carefully while she spoke. Her hazel eyes locked on the older twin hinting to her that she was the object being described. The brunette held her breath when she considered this. She found herself staring at Leah's lips as they curled around the straw. Her large, full lips. She gulped down a large mouthful of her drink in response to the burning feeling it elicited inside her. What the fuck was in this drink anyway? Obviously something to make her feel and act this way. She wasn't Emily. She was straight.

"I like them with a cock." She felt the need to clarify that point.

"Yeah?" Leah raised an eyebrow and grinned. "You know that can be arranged."

Katie almost choked on her drink. She began stammering a response but was saved when Sara appeared at their table.

"It's nice to see you making new friends Leah. I hope you're being nice to her. It's Katie, right?"

"Right." Katie smiled back, rather pleased that Sara had remembered her name.

"You might want to watch this one, Lee...she's a heartbreaker." The blonde winked jokingly. "Where's Rhian? AJ said she was here."

"Here she is." Rhiannon appeared behind her.

"Hey stranger. Long time no see." Sara smiled as she embraced her old friend.

"I know. This whole having a baby thing really eats into your social life." She joked. "You working again tonight?"

"This wedding isn't going to pay for itself you know." She shook her head. "And that fiancée of mine has expensive taste."

"I didn't know you got engaged!" Leah yelped. "Congratulations!"

"Thank you." Sara grinned.

"That's fucking scary Sar! You're going to be _married_!" Leah shuddered.

"Thanks Lee." She said flatly. Rhiannon chuckled and shook her head.

"Where's Jess?" Sara asked, noting the absence of the tiny red head.

"In the smoking area with Effy." Her sister informed her.

"Ohhh..." Sara smiled. "So did anything happen with those two last night?"

"How do you know about last night?" Rhiannon demanded. Had she been the last person in the entire world to be filled in?

"Because Jesse asked me for the bottle of absinthe." She shrugged.

"Absinthe!" Rhiannon shrieked all over the bar. What else didn't she know about?

"I knew there was something I forgot to tell you about." Leah kicked herself for forgetting. "But no nothing happened."

"Of course it didn't!" Sara rolled her eyes. "It's Jesse."

"Nothing is ever simple with that girl." Rhiannon chuckled.

-

After a quick, half smoked cigarette Naomi and Emily had excused themselves to go to the bathroom; although Effy and JJ doubted their intentions were really that pure. Effy sparked up another cigarette, keeping her eyes trained on Jesse the whole time. She shiver involuntarily under her gaze. Those blue-grey eyes had special powers; they saw souls.

"So..." She began; a puff of smoke escaping into the air as she spoke. A wicked grin crept over her face. "Do I get to leave with you again tonight?"

"Maybe." JJ grinned, stealing the cigarette from Effy's hand and enjoying the spark she felt when her fingers brushed over Effy's. "If you play your cards right."

"I see you don't waste much time moving on." A venomous voice broke into their conversation before Effy had a chance to respond. She had never seen this girl before in her life but from the way Jesse's body tensed up and her face contorted in annoyance she had a fair idea who it was. She instinctively stood up tall and moved closer to the red head.

"You should run now while you still can. This one's more effort than she's worth." Amy remarked snidely.

"I'm quite happy where I am thanks." Effy replied coolly, reaching down and linking her fingers through JJ's. The smaller girl looked up at her and smiled gratefully.

"Your funeral." The blonde scoffed.

"Actually I think it's your loss." The brunette smirked. Jesse couldn't help but giggle slightly. Amy faltered and searched for something to say in response.

"Was that everything Amy?" JJ pre-empted her come back. "Because we were actually enjoying our night out here so if you could politely fuck off then we could get back to doing that."

"What did you say to me?" The blonde demanded. Her whole body tensed and her hands balled up into fists at her side.

"Fuck off!" Jesse repeated slowly. She was no longer under Amy's spell and she wouldn't let her belittle her anymore. The next thing she knew something very hard connected with her face and she stumbled backwards.

-

It all happened in a blur. Effy caught her before she hit the ground and she could hear her sister's voice from the other end of the smoking area.

"Oh fuck no!" Rhiannon crossed the room in a matter of seconds and grabbed Amy by the shoulder. "You just made a _big_ mistake." She gritted her teeth.

"AJ smoking area. Now!" Sara spoke frantically into her radio and within a minute the bouncer had arrived. Rhiannon still had Amy pinned against the wall while Leah stood beside her trying to soothe her.

"I got it Blondie." AJ informed her and she reluctantly let go.

"Get her the fuck out of here." Sara glared at Amy. "And you're barred." She took great pleasure in telling the sadistic little bitch.

"Are you alright?" Effy asked, her voice filled with concern as she brought her hand up to cup Jesse's face. The injured girl couldn't help but smile when she looked up into Effy's eyes and saw how worried she was.

"I'm fine." The red head assured her. Rhiannon appeared at her side and sat down on the floor beside them.

"You have terrible, terrible taste in women." She chuckled and so did JJ. "Present company excluded, of course." She winked towards Effy upon noticing the pair was still holding hands.

"You ok Jess?" Sara asked. Jesse nodded, Sara was still fuming over what happened. "I can get a tape of that if you want to press charges."

"Thanks, but I think I'd rather just forget it ever happened." She said decidedly and struggled to her feet. Even when she was standing again, Effy didn't let go of her hand. There was something about the way it fit in hers that made her want to hold on, even for just a little bit longer.

"Well..." Jesse tilted the injured side of her face towards them. "How bad is it?"

"Let me see." Rhiannon took a hold of her sister's chin and moved her head around examining the newly forming bruise from all angles. "It's not _that_ bad."

"Truth." JJ raised her eyebrow in suspicion.

"You might have a slight...massive bruise in the morning." She conceded. Jesse chuckled wryly.

"You're still gorgeous." Leah assured her.

"Yeah." Sara agreed. "It gives you character."

A wave of laughter passed around the group easing the tension. Naomi and Emily had returned to their table and found it empty so they made their way back to the smoking area. They approached their friends, wondering why everyone seemed to be staring at their friends. When they saw JJ they realised why. Emily gasped audibly.

"What did we miss?" Naomi gawped incredulously.


	11. Red light pornographic dance fight

Naomi and Emily were nothing short of stunned when the girls filled them in on what had happened in their absence. Emily felt terrible, like if they hadn't left it never would have happened. She frowned and gave Jesse an apologetic look.

"And what exactly would you have done Ems?" Katie scoffed at the idea of her sister somehow stopping a fight.

"I don't know...nothing." Emily shrugged. "But maybe if we were here she wouldn't have came over."

"Ems..." Jesse smiled and found the movement hurt her still swelling eye. "She would have come over whether you were here or not. And she would have hit me whether you were here or not. That's just the type of asshole she is."

"It's true." Rhiannon agreed, still a little annoyed that she didn't get to smack the bitch who'd hurt her little sister.

"Well she'll never set foot inside this place again." Sara assured them. "Which reminds me I have some paperwork to fill out to that extent. Are you going to be alright?" She asked tenderly placing her hands on Jesse's arms and looking into the girl's blue eyes.

"I'll be fine." The red head promised.

"And you're _sure_ you don't want to press charges?"

"I'm positive." She said firmly.

"Ok." The blonde nodded. "Well at least try to enjoy the rest of your night."

"I'm sure I will." Jesse giggled with a glance at Effy. "Can I ask for a favour though?"

"More absinthe?" Sara fake groaned and everyone giggled.

"No." Jesse rolled her eyes and found that that hurt too. "I just wanted to know if I could use your office to cover up this mess...I don't really fancy attempting it in the darkness of your toilets."

"Of course." Sara smiled warmly and led the way out of the smoking area. People were not being at all subtle about staring at JJ as she passed.

"What are all these people staring at?" Leah sighed. "Have they never seen 8 hot bitches roll in the same crew before?"

Jesse looked over her shoulder at the dark haired girl and shot her an amused look. She knew she could always count on Leah to make things feel normal. The girl winked back at her. Sara's small office was not really equip to handle so many inhabitants but it seemed none of them were ready to leave Jesse just yet so they all squeezed in. Jesse sat down in Sara's chair and Katie sprung into action. She may not have had the strength or courage to jump in downstairs like Rhiannon had but this was something she was more than capable of doing. Armed with an arsenal of cosmetics and a considerable amount of experience in covering up black eyes she began to apply different things to Jesse's face.

"Christ Katie, is there anything you don't have in there?" Naomi teased as she watched the older twin pull out enough products to stock a small makeup stand.

"Actually I forgot my touché éclat." The brunette answered, ignoring Naomi's mocking tone.

"Oh I have that." Leah announced proudly, reaching into her handbag and removing the pen like device.

"Thanks." Katie smiled and took it from her. There was a moment of smouldering eye contact between them before Leah let go. Effy noticed this and nudged Rhiannon, who was standing next to her, and nodded in their direction. The older blonde rolled her eyes and nodded. Leah realised they were non-verbally discussing her and shot Rhiannon a look before grinning herself. She couldn't help it. Even though she knew it was wrong there was just something about Katie that made her want to flirt.

"There." Katie said triumphantly with one final dab of concealer. She handed Jesse her compact mirror to inspect the results.

"Nice work." Leah said appreciatively.

"Very." JJ agreed. Apart from the swelling you could hardly tell she'd just been punched square in the face. "Thanks Katiekins." She smiled at the twin. "Now come on. I could _really_ use a drink."

"I couldn't agree more." Effy smirked taking JJ by the arm and dragging her out of the office.

They hit the bar and Jesse ordered a round of much needed shots. Though she would never admit it to her friends she was still feeling a bit shaken from the ordeal in the smoking area. One round of shots turned into two, turned into three until they were all feeling suitably drunk. The more alcohol that coursed through her veins the better JJ started to feel. Eventually when she had calmed down the rest of the club came back into her mind.

"Oh I love this song!" She squealed as Lady Gaga played over the speakers. She grabbed Effy's arm, ignoring the looks she was getting from her sister and Leah and dragged the brunette onto the dance floor. The rest of the girls followed them and they danced uninhibitedly in the middle of the floor. Jesse could still feel people's eyes boring into her, staring at her swollen eye but with the bass line pumping through her body and Effy's slender form so close to hers she couldn't bring herself to care. She looked up to find those piercing blue eyes trained on her and a bright smile gracing Effy's face. She seemed to be enjoying herself just as much as Jesse was.

The song changed time and time again, each one better than the last; they must have spent the better part of an hour on the dance floor before they felt they needed another drink. At the bar Naomi shouted over the music that she was going out for a smoke. Effy was torn. She was really craving a nicotine hit herself but she knew Jesse probably wouldn't want to go back out to the smoking area and she _really_ didn't want to leave her. She looked between JJ and Naomi trying to figure out what to do.

"Go!" Jesse said with a slight chuckle and a nod towards Naomi. Effy looked hesitant. "I'll be fine!" She rolled her eyes but the brunette didn't look convinced.

"I have to go to the bathroom anyway. You go have a smoke and we can meet back here." She insisted.

"It's fine." Rhiannon assured the apprehensive girl. "I'll go with her."

"I won't be long." Effy promised though she had no idea why the thought of being separated from Jesse was so daunting. She followed Naomi and Emily out towards the smoking area. Leah and Katie shared a look and nodded before following them out. They were about to find out what was going on between the girls. Rhiannon took her sister's hand as they made their way to the toilets. She followed her sister right into the cubicle and locked the door. Jesse gave her a look.

"Please we used to have baths together, grow up!" The blonde rolled her eyes.

"So when are you going to tell Effy you like her?" Rhiannon eyed her sister with determination and crossed her arms.

"Um...let's see...right around never." Jesse scoffed. Her sister raised an eyebrow at her. "I really like Effy...as a person and a friend! I'm not going to fuck all that up over some silly little crush."

"What if it's not just a silly little crush?" The blonde challenged.

"It's a silly little crush!" JJ assured her as they stepped out of the cubicle. "Effy is amazing and insightful and funny and straight! Ria she's straight!"

"Oh please, little sister, are you really that blind?" The blonde laughed.

"What?" Her brow furrowed in confusion.

"How can you not see that Effy is clearly interested in you?"

"Because she isn't." Jesse gripped the sides of the sink and sighed heavily. She wished her sister's words were true.

"Jess." Rhiannon sighed. "Alright let's examine the evidence. She left with you last night."

"We wanted a quieter party." Jesse struck down her sister's argument.

"_And_ spent the night cuddling up to you on the floor." The blonde raised her eyebrow.

"We were wasted." The other girl shrugged. Effy probably hadn't a clue what she was doing.

"She spent all day in town with you." Rhiannon continued.

"And everyone else."

"And in the few hours you were apart she ended up on our doorstep."

"She just wanted to share a taxi." JJ shrugged against the mounting evidence.

"She looked as ready to kill Amy as I did when she hit you."

"She's a good friend." The red head found herself struggling to come up with justifications for the brunette's behaviour.

"And she hasn't left your side all night. Even before that shit in the smoking area." The older girl concluded triumphantly. Jesse thought about these things for a minute, taking much longer than was necessary to dry her hands. "Not to mention the fact that she's barely noticed anyone else is here tonight since she's spent most of it talking to you or dancing with you or just looking at _you_."

"It means nothing." She shrugged, sounding like she was trying to convince herself as much as her sister that this was true.

"You tell yourself that." Her sister rolled her eyes. "Or you could stop being a dickhead and open your eyes and see that this amazing, insightful and funny girl seems to be interested in you too and _do_ something about it."

"A dickhead?" Jesse scoffed, laughing to lighten the mood.

"A dickhead." Rhiannon nodded with a grin.

"Really?" She asked doubtfully.

"Come on." The blonde rolled her eyes and pulled her by the arm. "Let's not keep insightful and funny waiting."

They headed back to the bar in silence for a minute before Jesse spoke.

"_You're_ a dickhead." She laughed.

Effy was standing out in the smoking area laughing with Naomi and Emily about something when she seen Katie and Leah approach her with determine looks on their faces. They stopped right in front of her and adopted identical cross armed stances. Effy straightened up in front of them, leaning her weight on one hip. She was curious to see what this was about.

"So..." Leah smiled sweetly at the brunette. "You like Jesse."

Effy blinked and just kept staring at them, defiantly sucking on her cigarette. The conversation caught Naomi's attention, she held her hand up to silence Emily and gestured that they should eavesdrop.

"Really?" She replied mysteriously, in a way that only Effy Stonem could.

"So you admit it?" Leah smiled and muttered. "At least one of you can."

"I didn't say that." The brunette replied coolly.

"So you don't fancy her then?" Leah raised an eyebrow at the girl.

"I didn't say that either." A devilish smirk played across her face. Leah exhaled in a huff.

"Cut the cryptic Eff!" Katie took charge of the situation much to the amazement of her sister. "It's pretty fucking obvious to anyone within a 5 mile radius that you fancy her. I mean even if they were fucking blind they'd probably still know!"

"So the only question that remains is what are you going to do about it?" Leah concluded.

Effy was slightly stunned by this outburst from the older twin. She and Katie had made their peace over the summer and could possibly even be classified as friends now. But the fact that she cared enough about her feelings towards Jesse to berate her like that seemed to shock everyone.

"I don't know Katie." She said pointedly not giving any of her emotions away just staring at the twin with those piercing blue eyes of her.

"Well might I suggest you figure something out." Leah shifted from foot to foot.

"I second that." Naomi added. Effy kept her eyes trained on Katie and Leah and took one long and final draw from her cigarette before discarding the butt.

"Ok." She said simply and walked away, back towards the bar.

"Nicely done." Leah muttered in Katie's ear. She liked the girl's style.

"Think it's done any good?" Emily asked looking to where Effy had just disappeared.

"Who knows?" Leah shrugged.

"Hopefully." Naomi remarked.

"If it doesn't I'm not above locking them in a room together until they profess their feelings for each other." Katie added. She was getting pretty sick of watching them dance around their feelings for each other, which were becoming more and more obvious every day; it was making her dizzy.

"I bet Rhiannon would be more than happy help you with that." Leah laughed and nudged Katie to follow her back inside. It was bloody cold out in the smoking area.

Back at the bar Jesse was having another shot to try and shut her overactive brain up. After her conversation with Rhiannon she was replaying every interaction she'd had with Effy since she met her over and over in her head to look for signs that the brunette might be interested. She still thought it was a case of wishful thinking.

"Ugh!" She grimaced as the tequila burned its way down into her stomach. She would pay for this in the morning she could feel it.

"It's not that bad, is it?" A familiar husky voice asked in an amused tone. She turned to look Effy in the eye.

"Not bad at all." She smiled, ignoring the stupidly drunk part of her brain that thought it might be a good idea to just ask Effy if she fancied her and save all this wondering.

"Another then?" The taller girl raised an eyebrow; it was practically a dare.

"Another what?" Leah and Katie appeared beside them.

"Shot." Jesse answered confused as to why her friend was grinning so much.

"Oh shots." The dark haired beauty repeated enthusiastically. "I believe it's my round."

JJ shrugged and moved aside to let her order. They waited as Leah hailed a bartender.

"Four wet pussies please." She said in a proud and happy voice. Katie almost choked when she heard her.

"What?" The older twin coughed. The look on her face was priceless.

"Wet pussies." Leah said with a sly grin. "You'll see." She winked.

"What's wrong with Katie?" Naomi asked when she and Emily returned to find the girl looking rather flustered.

"Nothing." Leah smiled sweetly. "Sorry, actually can you make that seven?" She called to the bartender.

"Seven what?" Emily asked.

"Wet pussies." Katie answered before her brain realised her mouth was talking. Emily was shocked to hear those words coming out of her twin's mouth and the look on the red head's face made everyone laugh. The bartender set up the 7 shot glasses and Leah held one up to the light. The mixture was pink at the bottom then clear in the middle and kind of cloudy at the top.

"Now do you see why?" She grinned while Naomi and Emily burned bright red. Jesse couldn't help but cringe on their behalf. Handing a shot to everyone in the group Leah raised her glass and waited for the others to do the same.

"To getting blind drunk in good company." She smiled and stole a glance at the brunette twin. "Cheers!"

They clinked glasses and downed the shots. As shots go it wasn't terrible; the vodka burned but the peach schnapps and cranberry gave it a pleasant after taste.

"Not bad actually." Katie said, knowing immediately that she shouldn't have spoken

"Never thought I'd see the day when Katie Fitch was appreciating the taste of a wet pussy." Naomi smirked causing everyone else to fall into fits of laughter. Katie blushed and opened her mouth to fire off a comeback but she was so flustered she couldn't think of one.

"Well it's hardly accurately named." Emily grinned sheepishly thinking about the difference in the tastes. Katie wrinkled her nose and tried to shake the horrid mental image of her little sister from her brain.

"Come on let's dance." Leah was still chuckling when she pulled Katie onto the dance floor.

The brunette twin was more than happy to follow her away from the teasing crowd. She smiled brightly as the taller girl wrapped her arms around her waist and began to sway with her in time with the music.

"Sorry." Leah apologised half-heartedly. "I didn't know they'd tease you so much."

"It's alright." Katie chuckled, suddenly finding it funny now she was away from Naomi and alone with Leah. "I probably brought it on myself anyway."

"You could have chosen your words a little better." The dark haired girl agreed.

"Probably."

"Well at least now you can say you know what a wet pussy tastes like." Leah poked her tongue out as they continued to move. Katie rolled her eyes and shook her head, trying very hard to ignore the part of her that was getting worked up by the closeness of their bodies on the dance floor.

As the music played and the alcohol pulsed through their bodies with the bass line all 7 of them seemed to lose their inhibitions. Katie and Leah danced closer and closer until there was no other word to describe their movements except grinding. Emily and Naomi spent most of their night in a scene vaguely reminiscent to one from Cook's party where they were nothing but a single blur of arms and lips and tongues. JJ and Effy remained at the bar sitting closer than was necessary having a conversation whispering in each other's ears. Effy shuddered as Jesse's hot breath sent shivers down her back. Unable to resist, upon making her reply, she gave the red head's ear lobe a playful nip.

Jesse's heart stopped and she felt herself throb at the contact. Being drunk was not helping her control her desire for the brunette. She sputtered a reply that probably didn't make sense and swallowed the remaining contents of her drink. That was probably a mistake; she had already had more than enough at this point.

"I hate to break up this...dry humping session but I'm going to take Jess home." Rhiannon yelled at the grinding couples on the floor.

"What?" Emily looked disappointed.

"She's _really _drunk." The blonde chuckled. "Really, really drunk."

"Yeah I can see that." Leah laughed when she looked to the bar and saw Effy practically holding the red head upright.

"Enjoy what's left of your night." Rhiannon said as she enveloped Leah in a hug. "All 15 minutes of it."

"Oh I will." The green eyed girl winked.

"It was really nice meeting all of you." She waved goodbye to her sister's friends and headed off.

"She's nice." Emily mused when the blonde was gone.

"Yeah." Naomi agreed drunkenly before launching another attack on her girlfriend's lips.

Jude had fallen asleep in the living room only to be rudely awakened by three drunken girls stumbling through his front door.

"Good night?" He chuckled, opening the door to three startled faces. He did a double take of Jesse, who was standing with her arm around Effy for support sporting a black eye.

"What happened?" He asked frantically, a thousand terrible situations rushing through his mind. "Jess are you alright?"

"She's fine." Rhiannon answered on behalf of her sister. "She's just a little drunk."

"Just a little drunk? Ria she has a black eye!" His voice came out an octave higher and he moved closer to his baby.

"Well...there may have been a slight altercation with Amy." The blonde conceded, trying to play down the fight so avoid her father's fretting. "But she really is fine."

"How can you say that?" He asked incredulously. "She has a black eye!"

He gently took he face in his hand and turned her head to get a better look at the bruise. He bit back tears at the sight of one of his children in pain.

"Seriously Dad." Jesse sighed. "I'm alright. It doesn't even hurt anymore."

"That's because you're drunk." He argued sounding more concerned than angry.

"It's nothing." She insisted, growing weary of his panicking.

"Yeah! She just needs a cup of tea and a good night's sleep." Rhiannon agreed, heading towards the kitchen.

In an effort to be helpful Effy switched on the kettle and began opening cupboards in search of mugs but Jude insisted she sit down. She took a seat beside JJ and reached across under the table to give the girl's hand a reassuring squeeze. The bright smile it earned her made her insides squirm.

"How did this even happen?" Jude sighed.

"Ugh..." Jesse groaned. "Can we _please_ talk about something else?"

Rhiannon gave her father a look and he dropped the subject. At least until tomorrow morning.

"So was it a good night?" He ventured, setting three mugs of tea down in front of them.

"It was actually...A really good night." JJ smiled. "Black eye notwithstanding."

"Hey Dad when we left Leah and Katie had practically danced themselves into a single entity." Ria laughed.

"Katie?" Jude's brow furrowed in confusion. "I thought she was the straight twin?"

"Supposedly." Effy scoffed into her mug. It should have felt weird, gossiping with a parent, but it didn't. But then Jude wasn't really a parent. He was just Jude.

"Interesting." He raised an eyebrow. He liked Leah. When Jesse was in Badminton the girl was practically a third daughter to him.

"I want to go to bed." Jesse grumbled at the other side of the table.

"Finish your tea first." Rhiannon said sternly.

"Don't talk to me like I'm Mattie." The red head narrowed her eyes at her sister but did what she was told.

"Speaking of...How is my boy?"

"Hasn't moved." Jude smiled. "I'll get up with him in the morning if you want."

"Thanks Dad." She smiled gratefully. She had a feeling she was going to be monumentally hungover in the morning.

"Now can I go to bed?" Jesse asked petulantly when she had gulped down the last of her tea.

"Yeah." Rhiannon shrugged. "You're a big girl Jess you can go to bed whenever you want."

Effy laughed as JJ grumbled slurs against her sister and got up from the table. Neither Jude nor Rhiannon had questioned whether or not Effy would be staying over again tonight; they just assumed. And of course the brunette rose from her seat to follow Jesse out of the room.

"Thanks for the tea Jude." She smiled before she left.

"You're welcome." He smiled back warmly. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight." She replied.

"Goodnight!" Jesse shouted drunkenly from the stairs.

"So...any closer to finding out what's going on between those two?" He questioned his oldest daughter.

"Oh don't ask." She growled. "They are impossible!"

The lights were up fully in the club and the music had long since stopped. Leah, Katie, Emily and Naomi were sitting at a table by the bar while the bouncers herded the last of the patrons onto the street.

"How come they don't have to leave?" An indignant camp boy complained as he was ushered towards the door.

"They live here." AJ replied with a smirk. Her response confused the boy long enough for her to get him to the doors.

"Wait...no they don't!" He protested.

"Bye-bye." AJ smiled and shut the door in his face.

Leah got another round in while the bar staff began cleaning up around them.

"Ah the benefits of befriending the owner." She sighed happily when she sat back down.

"It does seem to have its perks." Naomi agreed picking up her glass. They fell into easy conversation while they sipped over their drinks. It was as though Leah had always been a part of the group.

"I see they did another disappearing act." Sara remarked when she came down to lift the till and noticed the absence of a certain red head and the blue eyed object of her affection.

"Yeah they had to take JJ home." Emily nodded. "She was _drunk_!"

"I think she had a few too many wet pussies." Katie commented before she realised what she'd said. The other girls laughed and Leah shook her head.

"I thought you were going to work on that choosing your words more carefully." She muttered, nudging the older twin playfully.

"Shut up!" She hissed in retort.

"Well Lee...as much I love you could you get the hell out?" Sara smiled. "You and your beautiful friends are distracting my staff!"

"Sorry Sara." She laughed. "We're leaving now."

"But I don't want to go home." Katie pouted sadly.

"We could go back to mine again." Naomi suggested. "It's not like Gina will mind."

"Alright let's do that." Katie stood up excitedly ready to leave.

"Leah are you coming?" Emily asked as she pulled on her coat.

"Are you sure you want me there?" She mumbled shyly, not wanting to impose on Jesse's new friends. "I mean you only just met me."

"But you're so much fun." Katie said drunkenly. She _really_ wanted Leah to come back to Naomi's. "Besides if you don't come it'll end up just me playing third wheel while these two make out."

"She has a point." Naomi nodded considerately. "Come on. I insist."

"Well alright then." Leah got to her feet and followed them towards the doors. "But you should know I don't usually go home with a girl on the first date." She winked at Katie who laughed and tried very hard to ignore the little part of her that got excited by the date reference.

"I hope you don't mind." Jesse said when Effy entered the room. "But we're sleeping in the bed tonight."

"Oh no!" Effy feigned disappointment and the red head laughed.

"Here." Jesse tossed her an over sized aftershock t-shirt to sleep in and undressed without a second's consideration to Effy's presence. The brunette's eyes travelled Jesse's exposed flesh, following her tattoo across the pale white of her rib cage upward towards...Dear God she wasn't wearing a bra. Effy felt a rush of blood to her pussy and her clit throbbed at the sight. God those were nice tits. Wait when did she start thinking tits were nice?

Pulling a black Carling t-shirt over her head Jesse turned to find Effy gawking. She smiled at the effect her body was clearly having on the brunette. Maybe there was some truth to her sister's words after all.

"Are you going to get changed?" She said softly, pulling Effy from her perving daze.

"What?" She blinked. "Oh...yeah...I got...distracted." She said licking her lips hungrily.

She pulled her vest over her head slowly and now it was Jesse's turn to stare. The black lace of her bra looked even darker against Effy's milky white skin. All too soon the green t-shirt fell over Effy's shoulders and covered her up again. The brunette pushed her skin tight jeans off, making sure to bend over just enough to expose her black lace panties to the red head. Jesse's mouth went dry and her mind ran wild with dirty thoughts involving the two of them and her queen sized bed.

"Better?" Effy asked with a sly grin, happy to know she wasn't the only perve in the room.

"I guess." JJ shrugged thinking it would be better if they were both sleeping naked. The brunette slid into bed beside her and curled into her side. Jesse took a deep breath and inhaled the scent that was so uniquely Effy; like cigarettes and coconuts, a combination that shouldn't work but on her it smelled divine.

"Eff..." She muttered sleepily. The brunette leaned up to look her in the eye.

"Yeah?" She said expectantly.

"I like you." She smiled drunkenly. Effy couldn't help but find it adorable.

"I like you too." She giggled. JJ sighed and sat up in the bed.

"You don't get it." She shook her head. Effy looked confused. Jesse locked eyes with her and in one of those now or never moments she leaned in and pressed her lips to Effy's. A fraction of a second later when she had gotten over the shock Effy kissed back. Hard. Her hand came up to cup Jesse's face and the kiss filled with desire.

"I mean I _like_ you." Jesse said when she forced them apart. She drew a deep breath. A really big part of her was afraid she had just made a big mistake and was about to get her heart broken. But then again, Effy had kissed back.

"I _like_ you too." Effy chuckled.

"Really?" Jesse asked sounding confused; like there was no way that could possibly be true. In response to the red head's question Effy pushed her back in the bed and brought their lips together for a second time. This kiss was calmer, gentler but just as lust filled as the last.

"Wow." JJ sighed when they broke apart again after almost a solid hour of kissing. "I did not see that coming."

Effy laughed and gave the red head a playful slap as she nestled onto the pillow beside her.

"Really?" She asked. "Because apparently _everyone_ else did."

"Hmm..." JJ hummed her response, feeling her eyelids get heavier by the second. Effy grinned at the half sleeping red head beside her.

"Goodnight Jesse James." She smiled and placed one final, soft kiss on the other girl's lips.

"Night Elizabeth." JJ smiled into the kiss and, feeling Effy's arm snake around her waist, surrendered to sleep.


	12. Give you just a taste but you want it al

When they got back to Naomi's house Gina and Kieran were already in bed. Emily led them into the living room while Naomi rooted through the kitchen cupboards looking for a bottle of vodka she had stashed there a week ago.

"Fucking Irish prick." She chuckled when she found it and realised Kieran had already been through half of it. She couldn't be angry with him as she usually made her way through his whiskey anytime he was foolish enough to leave it unattended. She returned to the living room and the remains of the vodka were passed around while they chatted and got to know Leah a bit better.

Emily was perched in Naomi's lap, mercilessly teasing the blonde by nibbling on her earlobe or neck anytime she thought no one was looking at them. Naomi's giggling was a dead giveaway though. They managed to maintain conversation for maybe 10 minutes before jumping out of the armchair and making some half assed excuse as they rushed towards Naomi's room. Katie screwed up her face, unimpressed with her sister's lack of subtlety.

"They might be going to bed but I don't think they're going to sleep." Leah teased, poking her tongue out at the older twin.

"Please..." Katie held up a hand to stop her going any further with that comment. "I'd rather not think about the fact that my baby sister just snuck off to shag the brains out of her girlfriend. Thank you very much."

Leah giggled and turned in her seat to better face the twin she was sharing the couch with. "Lucky them!"

Katie rolled her eyes and tried very hard to ignore the way she was looking at Leah while thinking she hadn't had a good shag in ages.

"Still...it must be nice though..." The dark haired girl mused. "Having someone...having that whole relationship thing."

She couldn't remember the last time she had anything close to a lasting relationship. She couldn't remember ever being interested in having one. But seeing the way Emily and Naomi were together, hell even seeing the way Effy was glued to JJ's side after the fight with Amy, it made her wonder if maybe it was something she would be interested in after all.

"They are madly in love." Katie sighed and looked to the door where the girls had just disappeared. She felt an undeniable pang of jealousy over her sister's perfect relationship. Well maybe it wasn't perfect but she was endlessly happy. Katie realised that she wanted that too; a thought much too deep for her vodka addled brain to handle.

"I can see why you were so desperate to get me back here." Leah chuckled and Katie was grateful for her attempt to lighten the mood. "You would have been bored sitting down here on your own while they fucked like bunnies up the stairs."

Katie groaned at the unnecessary mental image Leah had forced into her brain. She shook her head and got into a more comfortable position on the couch and slightly closer to Leah.

"I wasn't desperate." She scoffed quietly and took a swig from the bottle of vodka. Leah laughed lightly.

"You were a little desperate." She teased.

"You wish!" Katie pouted seductively and shoved the bottle into the other girl's hand in the hope that it would shut her up.

"Katie Fitch, you are trying to get me drunk." She said matter-of-factly, bringing the bottle to her lips and drinking from it, all the while never breaking the eye contact between them.

"Fuck off, no I'm not." She giggled secretly thrilled by the fact that Leah was blatantly flirting with her. After all just because Katie was straight didn't mean she couldn't appreciate that fact that the green eyed girl was stunningly beautiful.

"Oh I don't mind." She grinned devilishly. "I would just like to know what your intentions are after I'm drunk and have lost all my inhibitions."

Katie's heart stopped momentarily at what Leah was insinuating. She felt more than a little excited by it too. Although if Katie Fitch knew anything in this world it was how to flirt; the fact that it was a girl she was flirting with now didn't change that. And she was in Naomi's house after all and when in Rome and all that. So she played it cool, giving Leah a long and suggestive look before answering her.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" She winked. Katie Fitch actually winked at a girl. This was turning out to be a strange night. Leah fell about laughing at Katie's drunken attempt to be smooth. Though she couldn't stop herself from wondering if maybe the brunette wasn't quite as straight as she was pretending to be. A girl could dream.

"So how come I've never seen you around town before?" Katie asked, feeling the need to move the conversation on.

"I don't know." Leah shrugged. "Maybe you have and just didn't notice me?"

"No I definitely would have noticed you." The words escaped her mouth before she could stop them. A genuine smile pulled over Leah's lips at the inadvertent complement.

"Likewise." Her green eyes twinkled as she smiled at the older twin. They held the eye contact for longer than necessary before Leah looked away, clearing her throat and reigning in her thoughts.

"Or maybe it's because I haven't been around town much lately." She suggested. Katie looked at her strangely. "Boarding school, remember?"

"Oh yeah." She had forgotten this little fact about Leah. "What's it like there? At Badminton I mean."

"It's not as bad as people think." She shrugged. "I mean yeah, it's full of snobs and pretentious bitches that most of the time I just want to slap but some of them aren't so bad...like Jesse and our other friend Lisa. It's a really good school. And boarding isn't bad either."

Katie couldn't help but think that attending a good school while staying somewhere that was far away from Rob and Jenna didn't seem like a bad idea.

"So I guess that means I won't be seeing you around a lot then." She commented sadly. She was really enjoying getting to know Leah. And the Lord knows she needed some more fashionable friends. Leah thought about how Katie's sad little frown was possibly one of the cutest things on the entire planet.

"I'm not out on parole Katie, it's a boarding school!" She laughed. "It's not like they lock us in on a Monday and only open the gate on holidays. We can come and go any time we like. I just haven't had a lot of reason to come home recently."

"Oh...why's that?" She asked, finding herself genuinely interested in the answer.

"Well my parents split up when I was a kid and Mum recently remarried." Leah explained.

"And you don't like him?"

"No Kevin's great...Fantastic step-dad. But my mum is pregnant now...really pregnant...with twins actually and her hormones are all over the place. She oscillates from being this total earth mother Stepford wife to the exorcist like 20 times a day." She laughed. "Fuck Kevin must really love her because after one weekend of it I was like fuck this I'm not coming home again until the spawn is out of her."

Katie burst into fits of giggles at Leah's description of her mum. As their conversation continued well into the night she found herself laughing a lot around Leah. It was too easy to be around her.

The first thing Jesse was aware of when she woke up the next morning was a dull pain around her left eye that had absolutely nothing to do with a hangover.

"Oh fucksake!" She groaned when she realised that black eyes don't just disappear overnight. It fucking hurt. She felt Effy's arms twitch where it lay on her stomach and smiled. At least last night hadn't been a complete waste. She turned to face the sleeping brunette and placed a soft kiss on her lips. Effy's eyes fluttered open and she found herself gazing into Jesse's crystal blue irises.

"Hi." She croaked and smiled at the red head. "How's the eye?"

"Fucking painful." Jesse giggled. "How does it look?"

"Fucking painful." She replied with a smirk. Jesse's jaw tightened and she shook her head.

"Wanker." She chuckled. "So good night last night Eff?"

"It was...eventful." She smirked, looking at JJ's still slightly swollen and very purple eye.

"It ended well though." Jesse smiled and raised her eyebrows suggestively. Effy smiled back, knowing very well what the red head was alluding to. There was a moment of intense eye contact between them before Effy shook her head and looked away.

"You know for someone so drunk your memory is quite impressive." She remarked. She had honestly believed Jesse wouldn't remember their kiss this morning.

"Thank you." JJ replied smartly. "So did you mean it?"

Effy drew a deep breath and chewed her lips nervously. She couldn't deny that she had feelings for the red head, she was fairly certain she'd never actually liked someone in this way before. But were these feelings really worth ruining Jesse's life over.

"I did." She answered softly trying not to look in Jesse's eyes for risk of falling into them. "But..."

"But?" JJ pressed, her heart sinking at Effy's muttering of the word.

"But I shouldn't. I have this way of hurting the people I like...Of completely wrecking the lives of anyone stupid enough to like me." She continued sadly. "I like you but it would be better for you if I didn't."

Jesse studied her face for a minute, taking in every small detail of her expression. She could see vulnerability painted on the girl's face that she had never seen before. There was something in those piercing blue eyes of hers that was telling Jesse she didn't want to hurt her. She drew a deep breath and raised an eyebrow at the brunette.

"Why don't you let _me_ decide what's better for me?" She ended her sentence by pressing her lips to Effy's. It took the other girl mere seconds to respond, leaning in to deepen the kiss. Her finger's tangled in Jesse's red hair, desperately pulling her closer as their tongues fought for dominance and emotions spilled into the kiss.

"Oh...my...God!" Rhiannon exclaimed in a highly amused tone. They broke apart and looked up to find the older girl standing in the doorway grinning uncontrollably in the smuggest way possible. She looked positively elated. They hadn't even heard the door open. Jesse's jaw clenched and her face turned pink in embarrassment.

"Sorry Eff...My sister never learned how to knock." She sighed and shot a death glare at the blonde.

"And I am so glad I didn't." She gloated. "Dad!" She screeched.

"Ria why are you here?" Jesse shouted, wishing her sister would get the hell out so they could pick up where they left off.

"I came to be nice and give you these because I figured your eye would be hurting." She stepped forward and handed Jesse two painkillers. "And karma rewarded my good intentions by having me walk in at the right time to find out that I was right about you two. It's a good day."

"What's wrong?" Her father appeared in the door worried by the way Rhiannon had shouted.

"Nothing." She smiled. "Nothing at all. I just caught Jesse and Effy kissing."

"Kiss...what?" He turned and looked at the pair with a goofy grin on his face. "Really?"

"Oh my God I hate my life." Jesse groaned. Effy just looked at her and giggled because she didn't know what else to do. She had only just accepted the fact that she had feelings for JJ. She wasn't exactly expecting this.

"Don't be ridiculous." Her sister chastised her. "Great family, good looking girl like Effy in your bed, how could you possibly hate your life?"

"So when did this happen anyway?" Jude asked looking far too happy about the whole thing. "Is this why Amy hit you?"

"No Dad Amy hit me because she's a wanker." JJ sighed. "_This _just happened...I don't know last night, this morning...It just happened."

"Wait...We're not interrupting anything are we?" He asked. That was it. Jesse couldn't take anymore. She shot Effy an apologetic smile and pulled the blanket up over their heads in the childish hope that if they didn't acknowledge her family's presence they would go away. Rhiannon reached into the pocket of her robe and pulled out her phone, quickly searching through her contacts list for a number.

"Who are you phoning?" Jude asked, giving her a confused look.

"Oh Ria please. No!" Jesse sprung upright in the bed and groaned as her sister hit call and held the phone to her ear. "Please don't do this to me."

Katie and Leah had ended up talking all night. They had talked about everything from trivial TV shows to more meaningful topics like family relationships. It had been effortless. There were birds singing outside the window by the time they eventually fell asleep. It felt like they had just drifted off when Leah's phone ringing pulled them back from their slumber. They woke up in a tangled mess of limbs and pounding headaches.

"What is that?" Katie asked hoarsely.

"It's my ringtone." Leah sighed wondering where the hell she had left her phone the night before.

"Please make it shut the fuck up!" The brunette groaned. The other girl detached herself from the twin and practically fell off the couch. After feeling around in the dim light she found it lying under the coffee table.

"Hello." She answered angrily.

"Why do you sound so grumpy it's a beautiful morning?" The blonde on the phone sounded positively chipper much to Leah's distain. She could hear JJ protesting in the background.

"Rhiannon, what the fuck? Why are you calling so early? And why do you sound so God damn happy?" The dark haired girl sat on the floor where she had found her phone, grumbling at the cheerful tone in her friend's voice. Feeling slightly more awake now Katie pushed herself into an upright position and listened into the conversation.

"So I got up this morning and being the wonderful big sister that I am I thought I'd bring Jesse some painkillers, you know for her eye." Rhiannon began animatedly. She watched as Jesse's face fell. Effy looked confused and so did Jude.

"Leah." Jesse explained, dry swallowing the paracetamol her sister had given her. If this was the way her day was going she would need something stronger than paracetamol to make her feel better.

"What?" Effy looked at her strangely.

"That's who Rhiannon is on the phone to. Leah." She clarified.

"How do you..." Jude asked.

"I just know." Jesse answered before he'd finished his sentence.

"Is this going somewhere?" Leah asked impatiently on the other end of the phone. She sincerely hoped the blonde hadn't awoken her from her sleep just to tell her about her morning.

"I'm getting there." Rhiannon huffed. She was trying to set the scene. "So anyway...What do I find when I open her bedroom door to bring her the painkillers?"

"What?" Leah answered flatly.

"I find my darling sister with her tongue down Effy's throat." She concluded, her excitement bubbling over. She was grinning from ear to ear, completely ignoring the fact that her sister was giving her the finger. Jude looked less than comfortable with the way she had phrased that sentence.

"No way!" Leah gasped, her jaw dropping slightly in shock. The way they were behaving last night she thought it was going to take weeks before they actually got together.

"What?" Katie couldn't help but ask, she felt like she was missing out on gossip.

"Jesse and Effy kissed." Leah explained.

"Really?" Katie's eyes widened in shock and she felt quite pleased knowing they had been right all along about the pair. Leah nodded.

"Who are you talking to?" Rhiannon's brow furrowed in confusion and her question piqued Jesse's attention.

"Katie." Leah responded dismissively. She was keen to hear more about what was going on with JJ.

"Katie?" The blonde's voice was an octave above the normal range and her eyes were wide with shock.

"Katie?" Effy, JJ and Jude echoed in confusion.

"Yes Katie." Leah replied impatiently as she heard the name repeated around the room. "So what happened with Jesse and Effy?"

"Oh...I don't know. I just walked in on them kissing." Rhiannon answered dismissively, having acquired a new target she was much more interested in finding out what was going on with Leah and the supposedly straight twin. "Why are you with Katie? I thought you were complaining I woke you up."

"You did!" She grumbled.

"So you were sleeping with Katie?" The blonde asked, sounding both amused and confused. Effy and JJ looked at each other wide eyed with shock. Jude turned on his heels and left the room deciding this wasn't actually a conversation he wanted to overhear. Leah growled on the other line.

"We both _slept_ at Naomi's last night." She clarified emphasising the word slept. She stole a glance at Katie to see if the brunette could hear what they were talking about, but she seemed happily clueless.

"Of course that's all you did...She's straight." Rhiannon chuckled slightly sadistically.

"I think you're missing the important thing here Rhian." Leah said pointedly.

"Oh yeah, what's that?"

"That JJ and Effy were kissing." She reminded her, rolling her eyes at how easily distracted the older girl was. "Put her on the phone so I can torture her!"

"Oh yeah." The blonde giggled. Her sister glared at her. "I think Jess is actually starting to get quite annoyed at me now."

"That clenched jaw glare thing she does?" Leah chuckled.

"Oh yeah and the scowl." Rhiannon nodded eyeing her sister apprehensively. "I better go."

"Good luck. Call me later if you have more details." Leah said as she heard the distinctive click of the phone call being ended.

"So...?" Katie asked in anticipation when Leah set her phone down on the coffee table.

"So what?"

"So what happened between Jesse and Effy?" The brunette rolled her eyes.

"Oh I'm not entirely sure...Rhiannon walked in on them kissing." She shrugged then stretched. "I'd suggest waking the other two to fill them in on the gossip but I don't think my hangover could handle whatever state of post-coital undress they're in."

Katie giggled and wrinkled her nose. She didn't fancy going into that room either; she always had this fear of opening the door on them and walking into some kinky lesbian sex den. It was a fear she never wanted to face. "No me either. I have a better plan...let's just go back to sleep."

"Mmm...I like the way you think." Leah said sleepily and climbed back onto the couch beside Katie. This time they lay side by side instead of top and tails. Leah smiled at the contact as the confines of the couch forced Katie to move closer to her.

Jesse eventually managed to stare her sister into leaving her room. The blonde apologised insincerely as she turned on her heels and left the two girls alone. JJ rolled her eyes and gave Effy an apologetic look.

"I'm sorry about them." She blushed slightly.

"It's fine." Effy lied. The truth was she was a little freaked out. She wasn't used to the whole friendly, interested in each other's lives, no lies family thing. It was sort of a lot to take when you'd only just decided to act on your feelings for someone even though every inch of your body was telling you to run for them. Old habits die hard, don't they? Still she couldn't help but smile when Jesse pressed her lips to her own. This was more difficult than she imagined. Her brain was telling her to flee but her heart and other parts of her anatomy were telling her to stay. Maybe she just needed some space and time to sort this out in her head.

"I should probably get going anyway." She said, sitting up and looking around for her clothes.

"Really?" Jesse didn't even try to hide the disappointment in her voice.

"Two nights in a row I haven't come home, Mum's probably worrying I've run away again." She gave a small smile. That was logical, JJ seemed to half believe it; the other half knew very well that Effy was freaking out.

"Alright." The red head sighed. There was silence as Effy pulled on her dress and neatly folded the borrowed pyjamas and set them on the pillow beside Jesse. Jesse pushed herself up and walked the brunette to the door. They still didn't speak a word. It was only when Effy was standing on the doorstep that JJ decided she would be the one to break the silence.

"I guess I'll see you tomorrow." She shrugged, feeling confused and more than a little upset.

"Yeah." Effy said leaning in the kiss the smaller girl. Jesse couldn't help but think it felt like a final goodbye kiss. She watched the sway of the slim girl's hips as she walked down the path and off towards her own house wondering if she would ever get to kiss those lips again. She really wanted to. Solemnly she turned and headed towards the kitchen. She would have to face her family sooner or later, might as well get it over with now.

"Where's Effy?" That was the first question Jude asked when she entered the kitchen.

"She's gone home." JJ sighed. "Don't worry Dad my eye's fine! Doesn't hurt at all."

"Sorry dear!" He shook his head. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine." She rolled her eyes. "Those pills were good. We got any more of those?"

"Very funny." He replied sarcastically.

"Aren't I though." She grinned. "Are you making my breakfast or what?"

"Only because you have a black eye." He groaned as he pushed himself up from his chair. "So why did Effy leave then?"

"I dunno." JJ chewed her bottom lip and shook her head. "I think she just...freaked out or something?"

"Why?" Jesse couldn't help but think her father was so cute when he was clueless. "Is it because she's unsure of her sexuality?"

"No I don't think it's that." She folded her arms on the table and rested her head in the crook of her elbow. "I think Effy's just...a little scared of her own emotions...or of getting hurt...or both."

Jude knew she was just surmising but for someone so younger his daughter had an amazing insight into people. She could see through them and understand things even the person themselves couldn't fathom. He frowned and tilted his head to one side.

"You're not going to hurt her though, are you?" It wasn't really a question.

"Of course I'm not going to fucking hurt her." She said her voice an octave higher than usual. "But Effy has to see that on her own, doesn't she? There's no point in running after someone who doesn't want to be ran after...all you get are tired legs." She sighed.

"Jess..." Her father looked at her appraisingly. "How did you get to be so wise?"

"Don't know." She giggled. "I certainly didn't get it from you."

"Definitely not." He agreed. "Don't worry honey. These things will happen if they're meant to happen. Just keep your chin up, eh?"

"Thanks Dad." She smiled at him and he gave her a hug.

"So they kissed..." Naomi's brow furrowed thoughtfully. "Well are they together or what?"

"I don't know." Leah shrugged.

"I hope they are. They seem to really like each other." Emily smiled hopefully. "I think they could make each other happy."

Leah and Katie shared an eye roll over the love sick look Emily gave Naomi.

"Let's just hope Eff doesn't fuck it up." Naomi sighed.

"She is rather good at that." Katie said pointedly.

"Let's just hope JJ doesn't fuck it up either." Leah added. "Anyway I should probably get going. Thank you very much for your hospitality Naomi."

"No problem." The blonde smiled. "You're welcome to come back anytime."

"Yeah, don't be a stranger." Emily echoed her girlfriend's sentiments. The dark haired girl was a welcome addition to the group.

"I think you definitely have to come out with us again, you know, the next time you get time off for good behaviour." Katie teased. Naomi and Emily exchanged a bewildered look; they had no idea what Katie was on about but Leah was laughing.

"I'll have to be nice to my parole officer then, won't I?" She giggled.

Naomi walked Leah to the door after they had exchanged their goodbyes. Katie discreetly watched out the window as she disappeared out of sight. She had this strange feeling of longing when she was gone; like she missed her even though she hardly knew her.

"She's nice." Emily remarked when Naomi re-entered the room.

"Yeah." Katie sighed. She was nice. And funny. And smart. And breathtakingly beautiful. She sighed again, wondering how long it would be before she crossed paths with the green eyed girl again.

"Hold your fire! I come in peace." Leah held her hands up in surrender in response to the look Jesse gave her when she answered the door. "I'd wave a white flag but the only thing I have available to me right now is my knickers and something tells me you'd prefer it if I kept those on."

Jesse couldn't help but laugh. That was the thing about Leah, she always had this knack for doing or saying something that made you laugh and forgive her for whatever it was you were mad at her for.

"I guess you better come in then." She shook her head and stepped aside to let her pass.

"How's the eye?" She asked inspecting the damage as she walked passed on the way to the living room. "Looks nasty!"

"It's fine." Jesse lied. It hurt like hell really, but she didn't want to make a big deal out of it. "I may need to get some tips from Katie about how to cover it up though."

"You want me to kick Amy's ass?" Leah smiled lovingly at her friend.

Jesse laughed. "I think you'd have to get in line!"

"Jude gunning for blood?" She chuckled.

"Big time." JJ sighed and dropped onto the couch beside Leah.

"Of course he is...you're his little baby JJ after all." She teased. Jesse gave her a playful shove. "So where's Effy?" She asked, figuring that the brunette's absence was the reason for her friend's solemn demeanour.

"At home." She answered shortly, working hard to put on a brave front. Leah quirked an eyebrow at her. "I don't know Lee...I think she ran off scared."

"Scared?" The dark haired girl repeated in confusion. Granted she had only met the blue eyed siren twice but both times it had been obvious that she was totally into the red head.

"Of getting hurt?" Jesse sighed. "Of letting someone in? Of hurting me maybe, ruining our friendship...I don't know."

"So what you just let her leave? And you're not going to do anything about it?" Leah looked surprised.

"Well yeah!" She shrugged.

"What happened to you? Did Amy really fuck you over that badly?" She shook her head. This type of behaviour was completely out of character for the red head. "Time was the notorious Jesse James wouldn't have gone down without a fight. Not when it came to someone she really cared about and you _do_ really care about Effy...before you try to deny it."

Jesse's brow furrowed. Sometimes she thought that Leah knew her a little too well.

"Maybe I've just been jaded by a string of horrible relationships."

"You have had some awful girlfriends." Leah agreed. "But let me ask you something...is Effy like all those other crazy bitches?"

"No...I mean I don't think so."

"Well there you have it then." Leah replied trying to ignite her friend's fighting spirit. "Don't tar us all with the one brush...not all women are crazy you know?"

"Never thought I'd see the day when Leah Jackson was fronting the campaign for sane women." JJ teased. She had to admit the conversation had made her feel a little better.

"I know, right?" She laughed.

"So how was your night with the delightful Katie Fitch?" JJ asked in an attempt to change the subject and lighten the mood. "Is she still straight?"

"Unfortunately yes." Leah sighed mockingly. "Although I think she may be questioning that fact now."

"Really?" The red head asked doubtfully.

"No but a girl can dream!" Leah grinned and Jesse fell about laughing. "Seriously though she's actually a really nice person. Funny too."

JJ said nothing but noticed the dreamy look in Leah's pale green eyes when she talked about the older twin.

"Well I just called to see how you wee after last night so I should probably get home to Mommy dearest before she starts screaming or crying...or both." She chuckled.

"How is Tina?" Jesse asked.

"Pregnant!" Leah scowled. Jesse laughed. "And she's not getting any more fun to be around!"

"Sorry." She chuckled. "When is she due again?"

"Not until after Christmas...like January sometime." Leah sighed. It was tough living with a pregnant woman, even if it was only for a couple of nights a month. "Poor Kevin!"

"Yes, poor Kevin." Jesse nodded in agreement. "Come on I'll give you a lift home?"

"Thank you!" Leah sighed gratefully. "My shoes are gorgeous but they hurt!"

"I'll get the keys."

Effy was pacing restlessly in her bedroom again. What was it about Jesse that had this effect on her? She couldn't stop thinking about the red head. She liked her. She really liked her. She liked her as so much more than a friend. When she was around Jesse things just seemed that little bit better. It was as if everything else in the world just faded into obscurity because it just didn't matter anymore. More importantly when Effy was around her she didn't feel so hollow, so unworthy or love. To cite an old cliché she felt like a better person when she was with Jesse.

It was just a shame that she had fucked it all up by running out of there this morning. Why had she done that? Was she really so scared of getting close to another human being that she couldn't have spent another hour in that house, in bed with the girl she was crazy about?

"Fucked." Effy muttered to herself in regard to her current situation. She perched herself on the window sill and lit a cigarette. She did some of her best thinking with a cigarette in her hand. Sucking in a puff of smoke she stared at the neatly folded pile of clothes sitting on the end of her bed. They belonged to Jesse. Her mother had graciously washed and ironed them after Effy borrowed them the previous day. By the time she extinguished the cigarette she knew exactly what she was going to do. She was terrified and uncertain but she knew she couldn't let things end this way. She had to at least try. She pushed herself off the window sill and left the house before she had a chance to change her mind.

Standing on Jesse's doorstep it took several approaches before she actually rang the doorbell. She felt stupid. She had no idea what she was going to say to JJ. She really wasn't good at things like this. Mostly she just hoped Jesse would answer the door because she didn't know if she could handle Rhiannon or Jude right now. It turned out she was in luck.

"Effy?" The surprise written on her face was echoed by the tone of her voice. Her brow furrowed as she took in the brunette, eyeing her suspiciously. "What are you doing here?"

"I came...to return this." She held out the dress she had borrowed. "Thanks for letting me borrow it."

"You came all the way round here just to give me this dress back? Even though you would have seen me in collage tomorrow anyway?" Jesse raised her eyebrow incredulously and smirked. "Sounds like a thinly veiled excuse to see me."

It was almost refreshing the way that Jesse saw right through Effy when everyone else just perceived her as mysterious and unusual. The only other person to do that had been Tony. She pulled her lips taught against her teeth and looked away for a second.

"I should never have left." She said softly, locking eyes with the red head. There was a moment of smouldering eye contact while Jesse considered whether she should make this easy on the taller girl or not.

"No, you shouldn't." She agreed but offered the brunette a smile. "Just don't do it again!" She sighed and opened the door to the other girl. She was rewarded with one of Effy's amazing smiles as she stepped inside the increasingly familiar house.

"Who's at the door?" Rhiannon shouted from the living room, too lazy to get up and see for herself.

"It's Effy." Jesse smiled and headed towards the stairs. "We're going upstairs."

"Ugh!" Rhiannon grimaced. "Well if you can't be good be quiet!"

The two girls giggled as they raced up the steps and into Jesse's room.

"So what now?" Jesse asked, still unsure about what exactly was going on between her and Effy.

"I don't know...I guess we watch a DVD or play scrabble or whatever it is Naomi and Emily do on those rare occasions they're not having sex." Effy shrugged and sat down on the edge of the bed.

"Are we the new Naomi and Emily?" Jesse giggled.

"Hardly." Effy scoffed. "But we could be Effy and JJ...if you want."

Jesse bit her lower and contemplated what Effy had just said. She dropped onto the bed beside the brunette and smiled.

"I do have a lot of DVDs..." It was nothing official. Nothing too serious. It was just them, being themselves...together. It seemed oddly perfect. For now at least.

So they picked a DVD from JJ's extensive collection and settled onto the bed to watch it. They remained an awkward distance apart at first, stealing glances at each other and thinking about how weird it felt. Once they got passed all that and just began to enjoy each other's company in the same way they had before all of this it was all too easy to edge closer to each other and eventually entwine their limbs. Jesse brought her head down to rest on Effy's shoulder. It felt nice. To both parties. Halfway through the film JJ chuckled wryly.

"What?" Effy looked at her curiously given that nothing funny had happened on screen.

"There are going to be some smug faces in college tomorrow."


	13. Tell me why I don't mind Mondays

Two nights of partying had taken its toll on the twins. By the time Sunday night rolled around they were both completely exhausted. After forcing down their dinner they pleaded coursework and disappeared off to their bedroom.

"Oh my God!" Emily groaned falling backwards onto her bed. "I am exhausted."

"Yeah I'll bet you are." Katie replied pointedly. If the occasional noises they had heard coming from Naomi's room were anything to go by her sister hadn't gotten a lot of sleep the previous night. Those girls weren't exactly quiet. Katie felt really sorry for Gina having to sleep next door to them all the time; one night downstairs from it was more than enough.

"It was a good weekend though." The younger twin sighed contentedly, rolling onto her side to face her twin.

"Yeah it was." Katie smiled. She was slightly shocked at how much she had enjoyed the weekend considering it had involved spending two nights in a row at a gay bar. If she was honest she'd had more fun in Kitty Killer this weekend than she could ever remember having at a straight club. It was kind of nice having guys fall over themselves to tell her how fierce she looked rather than falling over themselves trying to get into her knickers.

"I'm glad you were there." Emily said softly. Even though the only reason Katie had gone to Kitty Killer was because Jesse had suggested it, she had still enjoyed her sister's company. Katie smiled back at her.

"Me too." She was glad of the opportunity to show her sister that she had accepted her sexuality; although she didn't foresee a time in the future when she would stop bickering with Naomi. But that was just how they related to each other.

"Well I'm going to get ready for bed." The red head pushed herself off her bed and headed to the bathroom to change.

Katie lay on her back staring at the ceiling, replaying the weekend's events in her head. Her thoughts were lingering on one particular individual when her phone vibrated in her pocket, pulling her back to reality.

'**Just got back to my cell...missing the outside world already. Don't forget about me x.'**

She couldn't keep the smile from her face. Leah was thinking about her too. The thought made her heart flutter slightly. She quickly typed a reply.

'**How could I forget you? And you're not missing anything in the outside world trust me! I'm about to fall asleep...someone kept me up all night last night x.'**

She hesitated, deleting and retyping the x a few times before finally hitting the send button. She set the phone down on her bedside table and changed into her pyjamas. Emily gave her a curious look when she came back.

"What?" Katie asked defensively.

"Nothing." The red head shook her head and stuck out her lower lip thoughtfully as she Katie checked her phone.

'**Probably just couldn't get enough of your fabulous company. Can't say I blame them. x'**

Katie smile grew uncontrollably when she picked up on the flirtatious tone of the message. It felt nice to have someone flirt with her, even if that someone was a girl.

"Who's that?" Emily asked suspiciously, wondering who was responsible for her sister's grin.

"Just...Leah." Katie shrugged trying to act casual and hide the fact that she was thrilled the dark haired girl was texting her.

"Leah?" That was not the answer Emily had been expecting. She looked mildly confused. The only other time she'd seen Katie smile like that was when she was texting a new potential boyfriend. It was strange. "Tell her I said hey."

"Yeah." Katie replied absent-mindedly, she was so engrossed in replying to the message she hadn't been listening to what her sister had said. Emily just shrugged and decided to leave Katie to whatever it was she was doing. Climbing into bed, she was in a sleep within a few minutes.

* * *

Jesse woke up on Monday morning with a huge smile pulling on the corners of her mouth. She rolled over and looked at the unoccupied side of her bed, remembering that Effy had been lying there beside her the previous night. With a satisfied smile she pushed back the covers and got out of bed. Standing in front of her mirror in just her underwear she inspected her eye. It didn't hurt as much this morning but it seemed to have gotten darker. She moved her head around examining her face from different angles; she didn't look too bad. She was still smiling when she got dressed. She would have to get that under control soon if she wanted to hold on to her reputation.

"Good morning family." She said cheerfully as she bounced into the kitchen, kissing Mattie on the head when she walked passed him.

"Morning Jesse." Jude replied with an equal amount of enthusiasm.

"Oh God!" Rhiannon groaned. "I'd forgotten what this was like...the insufferable happiness!"

"Oh leave her alone. I think it's nice to see her so happy." Jude chastised his oldest daughter.

"Thanks Dad." JJ smiled at him before shooting her sister a look. Rhiannon made gagging noises but gave Jesse a smile that said she was really happy for her.

"You going to help me cover up this thing before I go to school?" The younger girl asked, pointing to her eye.

"I thought you'd never ask." The blonde grinned and pulled her makeup bag from her lap. Jesse rolled her eyes and giggled at her sister.

"So will Effy be joining us for dinner tonight?" Jude asked, failing miserably in his attempt to sound nonchalant about it. Jesse sighed.

"Calm down Dad." Rhiannon warned him. "You're going to scare her away."

"I was just enquiring." He pouted. "So I know how much food to cook."

"You always make too much food anyway so you have no need to worry."

"Fair point." He shrugged and continued washing the dishes.

"Don't worry." Rhiannon whispered to her sister. "I'll have a word with him...warn him not to be so enthusiastic."

"Thanks." JJ replied gratefully. Jude had a habit of coming on a little strong.

"He just really likes her, that's all." She said on behalf of their father.

"I know." JJ smiled. Jesse really liked her too.

"You're done." The blonde smiled and held up a mirror.

"Nice one." Jesse nodded her approval; happy that she wouldn't have to deal with everyone asking her what happened over and over again. The story wasn't one she wanted to tell. "Thanks."

"You're welcome." Rhiannon sighed contentedly, congratulating herself on a job well done.

"Ok...goodbye family." Jesse smiled as she grabbed her bag and headed out the door, leaving her father and her sister shaking their heads at her.

It was cold outside but at least it wasn't raining Jesse thought optimistically, putting her headphones in and turning her music up. The walk to school seemed to fly by in a blur of upbeat songs and passing green hedges. Rounding the last corner she spied a familiar pair of long legs swinging from a wall. Effy was grinning devilishly at her as she approached.

"Waiting for me?" Jesse raised an eyebrow at her. She was pleasantly surprised.

"Maybe." She replied in that sultry tone that drove JJ wild and jumped down off the wall. "I figured if people were going to talk about us, we might as well give them something to talk about."

Jesse felt Effy's long fingers entwine with her own and a pair of soft, delicious lips pressing gently against her own. Forgetting where they were Jesse lost herself in the kiss, bringing her free hand up to cup Effy's face. Around them they could hear the mummers start already and they broke apart laughing.

"Alright then, let's go cause a scene." Jesse remarked playfully, giving the brunette a tug in the direction of the college building.

* * *

Emily stood by her and Jesse's locker waiting for the red head to show up. She was curious to find out what had happened between her and Effy after Kitty Killer. She preferred to think of it as being concerned rather than being nosey; nosey was Katie's department. Her brow furrowed when she looked at her watch and saw that the bell was about to ring. Maybe Jesse wasn't coming into school today because she didn't want to be seen with her black eye. Then through the hoards of students swarming the corridors she caught a glimpse of JJ's red hair.

"Oh." She gasped when she realised that the red head was quickly followed by Effy and the two were holding hands, causing quite a stir.

"Hey Ems." Jesse greeted her cheerfully when they reached her locker.

"Hi!" She sputtered, they had caught her off guard and she wasn't sure how to react. "Seems you two are turning a few heads this morning." She joked, hoping it would lead to some of the answers she was looking for.

"We definitely got the reaction you were after Eff." Jesse laughed, dropping Effy's hand to reach for her books.

"They would have found out sooner or later?" The brunette shrugged, leaning against the locker beside JJ's.

"Found out what?" Emily asked without meaning too. She shifted her gaze awkwardly. "Sorry. It's probably none of my business."

"Relax Emily." Jesse smiled at her, drawing Emily's brown eyes to look into her own. "I'm fairly certain you'll already have heard from my big mouth friend Leah or her new friend, your sister what happened this weekend."

She motioned with her eyes towards Effy knowing that Emily would get what she meant. If she had to say the words out loud she would feel a bit ridiculous. She wasn't even sure what the words were.

"Yeah." The younger twin replied sheepishly. The bell ringing prevented their conversation from going any further. Jesse's hand sort of found Effy's again as they walked with Emily to Kieran's classroom; something that didn't go unnoticed by Kieran when they made their way to their seats at the back of the room. He did a double take to make sure he was really seeing the two girls holding hands.

"I'm not even going to ask." He muttered to himself and shook his head. They turned quite a few heads in the classroom. Cook looked confused then intrigued. Freddie just looked sullen and angry. JJ didn't know what was going on and Katie and Naomi looked at Emily for an explanation. The red head just shrugged. She didn't really know what was going on.

"Ever get the feeling people are talking about you?" Jesse muttered to Effy.

"People are always talking about me." She replied in a brutally honest manner. It was true; everyone always seemed to have something to say about _the _Effy Stonem.

"So it's not just me then?" JJ smiled. "Good to know."

Effy rolled her eyes and gave her a playful shove.

"There's obviously something going on between them." Katie looked back over her shoulder to where the two girls were sitting.

"Well that much was obvious days ago." Naomi retorted dryly.

"Yes but days ago they were at least making an effort to cover it up." She said pointedly. "Ems you were talking to them, what did they say?"

"I don't know." Emily sighed. "They're both so bloody cryptic!"

"Guess I'll just have to find out for myself then, won't I?" Katie sighed heavily and pulled out her phone. JJ's best friend would probably know what was going on between the two girls. What a perfect excuse to text Leah? Emily and Naomi shared a look and a shrug before changing the topic of conversation. Katie was beginning to wonder why she cared so much if they were together. Of course she'd made her peace with Effy and they were friends again and she liked Jesse too; but did whether or not they were a couple actually matter to her? And why did she feel so desperate to keep in touch with Leah?

* * *

Leah was sitting in the sixth form common room when Katie's message came though. She had first period free every Monday morning, it sort of softened the blow of having to return to school after the weekend and allowed time for recovery if it had been a particularly wild weekend. It was also an excellent opportunity to hear all the gossip from the weekend before anyone else. A bright smile lit up her face at the idea that the older twin was thinking about her. She had to admit she was a little bit disappointed when it turned out to be an enquiry about Jesse and Effy's potential relationship. Although Leah couldn't help but wonder if Katie was really all that interested in what was going on between them. Perhaps it was that just an excuse to text her?

Against her better judgement she allowed herself to think that the latter was true. She knew she really shouldn't allow herself to indulge in such thoughts. She knew Katie was straight but she couldn't help it. Her fierce attitude, her dry sense of humour and her flawless fashion sense; all of it was just so...intriguing. There was just something about the older twin that drew her in.

She quickly typed a reply saying that as far as she knew there was nothing going on between Effy and JJ other than the fact that they had kissed yesterday morning and asking why Katie wanted to know.

"Your latest conquest then?" Her friend Lisa asked, sitting down beside Leah pulling her out of her Katie trance.

"What?" The green eyed girl asked.

"The girl you're texting." Lisa explained. "Is she the next person on your 'hit that' list?"

"No." Leah shook her head. Katie wasn't that at all. She was so much more. "No!" She insisted.

"Oh." Lisa looked a little confused. "Well who is it then?"

"Just a friend." Leah shrugged, a treacherous smile threatening the corners of her lips.

"A friend?" Lisa raised one of her perfectly sculpted eyebrows at her sceptically.

"Yes a friend." She emphasised the word.

"I don't believe you." Lisa replied honestly with a small shrug.

"What? Why?" She protested. "I am capable of making friends you know."

"I'm sure you are." Lisa agreed. "But that stupid grin on your face tells me it's something more than that."

"What? I'm just happy."

"Well you never look that happy when you're texting Jesse." Lisa countered, smirking triumphantly because she knew she had just won the argument. "So what's her name then?"

"Katie." Leah relented after a lengthy displeased silence. Lisa grinned smugly.

"Yeah? Who is she?" She asked sounding genuinely interested.

"She's one of JJ's friends from Roundview." Leah informed her.

"Gay?"

"No." She shook her head, trying hard not to look disappointed.

"But you'd be willing to change her mind." Lisa joked.

"All one can do is try." She replied with a melodramatic sigh.

* * *

'**So I hear you and Effy are the new hot couple at Roundview!'**

Jesse received the text during History, her first class of the day; news really did travel fast. If she was honest she was a little bit surprised it had taken Rhiannon this long to text Leah about Effy's reappearance last night. JJ rolled her eyes and decided she wasn't going to make this easy on her friend; a punishment for all her gossiping.

'**What makes you say that?'**

She knew Leah would undoubtedly make her suffer for her evasiveness later but it was worth it just to wind her up. She tried to focus on what the teacher was saying while she waited for the most likely irate response. The class had moved forward though and she had lost her place. Emily appeared to be making notes though; she could probably borrow them later.

'**Well walking into college holding hands certainly turned a few heads.'**

Leah's response confused the hell out of her. First of all because it wasn't the frustrated message she'd been expecting to receive and secondly because she wondered how the hell Leah knew about them holding hands this morning. Maybe she'd been wrong about Rhiannon being her informant. Leah's next message confirmed it. Her spy went by the name of Katie Fitch.

"Hey." She nudged Emily gently. "Did you know your sister has been texting Leah?"

"Yeah." Emily nodded. Katie's phone had been quite incessant for a while the night before. "Why?"

"She's giving all my secrets away!" JJ huffed.

"Yeah she does that." Emily nodded, half sympathetically, half amused.

"Well this can't be good." She grumbled. Emily chuckled. It felt nice not being on the receiving end of her sister's meddling for once.

"You know Leah fancies her, right?" JJ asked out of curiosity, having lost all interest in the topic of the lesson.

"I had a feeling." She chuckled. Leah had made a few comments to that effect at Kitty Killer. "I'm pretty sure Katie knows it as well."

"Really?" Jesse was still a little shocked, despite Leah's complete lack of subtlety about it. "And she's ok with it?"

"I think she's flattered." The younger twin shrugged. It was no secret that Katie loved a bit of attention.

"Interesting." JJ pouted thoughtfully.

* * *

"So what's goin' on 'ere then?" Cook asked cheekily motioning between Jesse and Effy with his finger almost the minute he joined the girls at the lunch table.

"Going on where?" Jesse replied with her most innocent smile.

"Are you two ladies bumping beavers or what?" He asked in a crude manner that only he could get away with. Jesse laughed out loud.

"That's charming." She said sarcastically. "And I'm sorry to disappoint you but we haven't had sex."

"But you _are_ a couple right?" Katie couldn't stop herself from asking. She was just fed up with all the skirting around the issue. "I mean it certainly seems that way."

"Does it?" Effy replied with a sideward grin at Jesse.

"Fucking hell!" Katie cried out in exasperation. "You two are a match made in fucking cryptic heaven!"

"Why thank you." Jesse smiled, wrapped her arm around Effy's shoulders and kissed the side of her head. A gesture that only served to further confuse everyone at the table. Cook's brow furrowed as he looked between the two girls.

"Look I have no idea what the fuck's going on here but whatever it is...can I join in?" He grinned boyishly.

"No." Effy shook her head.

"Fucksake!" He pouted childishly. "What's the point in having all these gorgeous muff munching mates if I'm not allowed to join in the fun?"

"I think you're missing one of the key elements of lesbianism there Cook." The male JJ informed him smartly. "They are women who exclusively enjoy the sexual company of other women and therefore would have absolutely no interest in you or your male genitalia taking part."

"Well can I at least watch?" He shrugged. Ever the faithful believer in the old adage 'if you don't ask you don't get.'

"Not even in your wildest dreams." JJ shook her head and smirked at him.

"Every night girl JJ!" He winked at her and she rolled her eyes.

* * *

"I don't get it Eff." Pandora said curiously as she and Effy walked along the corridor together.

"What don't you get Panda?" The brunette asked with an amused smile. God knows the blonde could have been referring to any number of things.

"Well...are you a proper lesbo now?" She asked innocently. "Like Naomi and Emily."

"Not exactly." She shrugged.

"But you really like JJ." She replied thoughtfully. It was a simple statement of fact. "I think you fancy the arse off her too."

"I guess I do." Effy smiled.

"And it's different than it was before...like with Freddie and Cook." She continued.

"Is it?" The brunette asked, genuinely intrigued by the other girl's insight.

"Yeah!" Pandora nodded enthusiastically. "It's like you really like her and it makes you happy inside. But it makes you a bit scared too. That's how I feel about Thommo. I don't think you have anything to be scared of though. I don't think JJ's gonna do anything to hurt you and make you run away again."

Effy stopped walking and looked at her friend for a second. It was no secret that most people wondered why the elusive and effortlessly cool Effy Stonem choose the excitable and ditzy blonde to be her best friend but it was this side of Pandora that they never got to see. The child-like innocence with which she viewed the world was fascinating to Effy. She had this way of fearlessly throwing herself into whatever she was doing. Of dropping all boundaries and just allowing herself to be. It was quite awe inspiring to someone as guarded as Effy, who constantly feared someone breaking down her defences and destroying her.

"You know what Pandora?" The brunette tilted her head to one side and smiled. "I hope you're right.

* * *

"Jesse!" Emily snuck up and startled the girl whose head was buried in her locker.

"What's up Ems?" The red head smiled looking over her shoulder at the twin.

"Glad this day is over." She smiled.

"You and me both. Actually I'll be glad when this weeks over. I kept running to the bathroom today to make sure my makeup hadn't worn off." She shook her head wearily.

"Now you know how Katie feels." Emily joked. "So what's really going on between you and Effy?"

She asked hoping that her friendship with the red head warranted a proper answer rather than the cryptic bullshit they had been giving everyone else.

Jesse laughed and shook her head. "Honestly Ems...I'm not even sure myself."

The red head gave her a curious look.

"We're just...having fun...enjoying each other's company." She shrugged. That was what they were doing after all. And kissing. There had been a lot of kissing last night. "I like her." She admitted honestly.

"Yeah well I noticed." Emily teased. "Seems pretty obvious she likes you too."

"Yeah?" JJ sought reassurance.

"Oh please! Even Kieran noticed." She chuckled and so did Jesse. "Just...be careful, ok?" The younger twin added, remembering what had happened the year before with Effy and Cook and Freddie. She didn't want to see Jesse getting hurt like that.

"I will." She assured her. Even though she knew that Effy had the power to completely take over her. And she would go willingly.


	14. Anticipation has a habit to set you up

On Wednesday during third period one of the business studies teachers, Mr Graham, suffered a nervous breakdown while teaching his first year students. He started screaming then tore his shirt off and ran off down the hallway. Almost the entire student body and most of the teachers poked their heads out the door of their classrooms to watch Doug chase the half naked man up and down the corridors while they waited for medical assistance. It was terribly unfortunate for the poor man and for his wife and kids but it definitely took the spotlight off Effy and JJ.

"I'm not saying I'm glad he had a nervous breakdown," Jesse justified as she walked home from college with Effy on Friday afternoon, "I'm just saying I'm glad people have found something new to talk about."

"So you would have been happy no matter who suffered the mental episode," the brunette smirked teasingly. JJ narrowed her eyes at her.

"Yes I was actually just sitting during second period on Wednesday hoping that one of the poor teachers that work at Roundview would have to be institutionalised just so people would stop gossiping about me and you," she replied dryly.

"Next time you could just plant some class A's in one of their offices and tip off the police," Effy suggested.

"You've thought way too much about that," the red head eyed her suspiciously. Effy just grinned. "So what are the plans for the weekend then?"

"Seems pretty quiet," she shrugged. She hadn't heard of any parties happening this weekend but that didn't mean she wouldn't find one. "I'm sure we'll find something to do though."

The brunette's wicked grin sent shivers down Jesse's spine. "I'm sure we will."

"Although, if you don't have any pressing plans for this evening you could come to mine for dinner," Jesse suggested reluctantly. "You really don't have to come if you don't want to it's just Jude's been going on all week about inviting you round."

"Sounds like you don't want me there," Effy chuckled.

"It's not that," JJ rolled her eyes, "I want you there...it's my family I don't want there."

"They're not that bad," Effy protested. She was quite fond of Jude.

"Does that mean you're coming for dinner?" she asked hopefully.

"Not like I have anything better to do," the taller girl shrugged.

"Great...listen if Jude asks I've invited you to dinner every day this week but you've been busy." Jesse smiled brightly.

"Oh yeah, make me the bad guy," she glared.

"Obviously," the red head giggled. "Anyway you picked a good night to come...Jude doesn't cook on Friday."

"Who does?"

"Me and Rhiannon take it in turns," she explained.

"So whose turn is it this week?"

"Mine," she grinned.

"I'm definitely glad I agreed now," Effy smirked, "I can't wait to sample your culinary skills."

Why did it seem that every word out of this girl's mouth dripped with suggestion? She could be talking about dysentery and probably still manage to make it sound attractive. Jesse thought it should be illegal to have a power like that. It was a constant struggle for her to maintain her composure around the brunette; something she wasn't used to at all. If she hadn't recently found out that Effy liked her back she would quite possibly hate her for it.

"You can do more than that..." she grinned like a wolf at a lamb. "You can help."

* * *

"So what are the plans for this weekend then?" Naomi asked as she walked home with Emily and Katie.

"I don't know," Emily shrugged unenthusiastically.

"Probably the same old shit we always do...getting trashed at some crap house party or lame ass club!" Katie couldn't help but sigh. There was no way this weekend would compare with last weekend. But it had nothing to do with the absence of a certain green eyed Goddess who Katie was still texting. Nothing at all.

"Well I doubt we'll be seeing much of Effy or JJ this weekend anyway," Naomi remarked.

"Thank God!" the older twin sighed melodramatically. "I'm not sure if I could handle anymore of their lesbian eye sex! Seriously it's like I blinked and now I'm surrounded by dykes."

Although they hadn't been overly affectionate or coupley in school over the past week it was still glaringly obvious they were completely besotted with each other. They spent a lot of time in class and at lunch flirting and undressing each other with their eyes.

"Now, now Katie! Jealousy is a terrible thing," Naomi teased.

"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?" Katie snapped defensively. Was the blonde accusing her of being jealous of Effy and JJ because they were a couple or because they were lesbians?

"Nothing," Naomi smirked, relishing in the fact that she was getting under Katie's skin.

"Fuck off Campbell!" Katie glared at her. Emily rolled her eyes at them, thankful they were about to be separated. "I'm not fucking jealous," she mumbled to herself.

"Anyway..." the little red head interrupted their bickering when they reached Naomi's street. She stepped in front of her girlfriend and raised herself up on her tiptoes a bit to bring her to the blonde's level. "I'll see you later?"

"Yeah. Come round as soon as you can," Naomi smiled before bringing her lips to meet Emily's.

"See this is exactly the kind of thing I was talking about!" Katie huffed indignantly. It seemed like her life was suddenly filled with lesbians who were madly in love. Despite what Naomi said she was not jealous! Not at all.

* * *

"I'm home!" Jesse announced when they walked through the door. She was greeted as usual by Mattie hurtling towards her screaming her name; he was always so happy to see her. She scooped him up and gave him a hug.

"Did you say hi to Effy, Mattie boy?" she asked.

"Hi Effy," he giggled shyly, hiding his face in Jesse's shoulder.

"Hi," Effy smiled back uneasily.

"Alright now go play," JJ instructed setting him down and giving him a playful shove in the direction of the living room.

"Well love how was college?" her Dad asked coming out of the kitchen without looking up.

"Frightfully dull," she grinned, waiting for him to notice Effy's presence.

"That's...Effy!" he cried excitedly when he saw the brunette standing in the hall. "It's lovely to see you."

"Thanks," she giggled slightly at his reaction. "You too."

"So did you get all your coursework finished then?" he enquired.

"Coursework?" she repeated slowly raising an eyebrow at JJ who tried to look innocent. "Oh yes! Handed it in this morning," she answered, smirking at Jesse.

"Good," he smiled, clueless to his daughter's deception.

"Well I'm going to start dinner," Jesse said, tugging Effy in the direction of the kitchen.

"What are you making?" her father asked.

"Pizza," she called over her shoulder before disappearing into the kitchen.

"Sounds good," Jude muttered to himself in the empty hall.

"So Effy..." Jesse began as she rummaged around in the kitchen for everything she needed. "Can you cook?"

"Define cook?" she pouted thoughtfully.

"I'll take that as a no," JJ giggled while she dusted down one of the benches with flour. "Come on...I'll let you be my lovely assistant."

Jesse looked around the kitchen trying to come up with an easy job for the brunette to do. She crossed the room to the blender and plugged it in. She took 2 tomatoes out of the fridge, a clove of garlic and a jar of sauce and set them beside the blender.

"Come here," she called her over. "You can make the sauce."

"The sauce?" Effy raised an eyebrow at her. In her house making pizza involved taking it out of the packaging and sticking it in the oven. That or picking up the phone and ordering one from a takeaway.

"It's easy...chop up those tomatoes, crush the garlic and add the sauce. Then hit the switch on the blender. It's impossible to mess up I promise."

"Chop the tomatoes, crush the garlic, add the sauce...I think I can do that," she nodded, making a start then realising she didn't have a knife.

"Here," JJ smirked pulling one out of the drawer. She left Effy to make the sauce while she set about rolling out the dough and preparing the toppings. Every so often she would catch herself staring at Effy. The look of concentration on her face as she finely chopped the tomatoes was adorable.

Effy found she had to force herself to concentrate on the task at hand because she kept getting distracted watching Jesse as she rolled out the pizza dough. The way her hair fell over her shoulder when she leaned across to knead the dough, the faint lines flashing in her muscular arms as she kneaded the dough, the cute way she chewed her lower lip while she worked; all of these things drew Effy's attention from what she was supposed to be doing. Jesse clearly didn't understand the power she had over the brunette.

"How's the sauce?"

"Umm...done...I think." Effy looked hopefully into the blender. Jesse moved to inspect her efforts. It looked good. She absent-mindedly began adding herbs to the mixture.

"What are you doing?" the brunette enquired.

"Seasoning." Jesse explained. Effy looked impressed. She'd never actually watched anyone cooking before. "Wow. You've really never cooked before have you?"

"Not the kind that involves preparing fresh ingredients, no," she shook her head.

"You'd never make a good house wife," Jesse shook her head and smirked.

* * *

After forcing down what was possibly Jenna's most offensive tasting menu to date Emily hurried upstairs to get ready for her evening with Naomi. Katie followed her to their bedroom and sat on her bed flicking through a magazine while she got changed.

"You doing anything tonight?" Emily asked.

"Probably not," Katie replied disinterestedly. "Maybe just have a bath and an early night. I'm going shopping tomorrow."

"Really? Who with?" she wondered, knowing her sister didn't like going shopping alone.

"I have other friends! I do have a life you know!" Katie huffed indignantly.

"I know," Emily replied defensively. "I was just making conversation."

"Oh," Katie thought she might have over reacted slightly to an innocent question. "I'm going with Leah actually."

"Leah?" Her voice sounded strained with surprise.

"Yeah, Leah!" She tried to act like it wasn't a big deal. It wasn't a big deal. It was just two friends going shopping. Nothing to get excited over. Or so Katie had to keep reminding the butterflies in her stomach.

"You two certainly seem to have hit it off," Emily mused.

"I guess." The older twin shrugged. There was something about the smile that her sister was trying to hide that made Emily curious. Her brow furrowed as she tried to use twin telepathy to read Katie's mind and she frowned when it didn't work. She was just going to have to wait and find out what was going on the old fashioned way...whenever Katie decided she wanted to talk about it.

"Right well I'm off then," she announced, picking her bag up off the floor.

"Alright!" Katie smiled at her over the top of her magazine. "Try not to shag all of Naomi's brains out."

"I'll try," she replied dryly, chuckling as she headed out the door. Her life was definitely a whole lot easier now Katie had accepted her for who she was.

* * *

"So how was everyone's day?" Jude asked when they sat down to the meal Effy and JJ had prepared.

"Pretty good. Our lectures this morning were almost interesting and I had the afternoon off so Mattie and I went to the playground. Now Effy's here so dinner bound to get interesting," Rhiannon grinned. She was feeling positively perky this evening.

"I'm glad you think so..." Jude smiled, completely puzzled by her last comment. "Jess?"

"My day was pretty uneventful," she shrugged. "Kind of boring actually. How about you Matthew? What'd you do today?"

"Uh I had breakfast. And then I watched Peppa. Then I played football with Granddad. And then I watched Roary the racing car. Then Mummy came home early and took me to the playground and I went on the slide and the swings and the handlebars."

"Monkey bars," Jesse muttered to Effy so she would know what the child was talking about.

"Then you came home from school and made pizza," he concluded.

"Wow you had a big day, didn't you?" Jesse sounded impressed.

"Yeah, I'm quite tired now actually," he sighed, resting his head on his hand. Jesse giggled at him.

"What about you Effy?" Jude asked.

"What?" she was startled by the question. She felt like she had missed the beginning of it or something.

"How was your day?" he smiled at her.

"Oh...it was interesting," she replied, feeling a little bit uncomfortable in the middle of this family conversation. "I learned how to make pizza."

"Well that's a valuable life skill," he chuckled. "And you seem to be quite good at it too. This is delicious."

"I just made the sauce," she shrugged.

"Well it's lovely," he complimented her, wanting her to feel welcome and at home in their house.

"Oh yeah," JJ scoffed incredulously, "never mind all the effort I went to making and rolling out the dough, and arranging the toppings and making the salad; the pizza sauce is the best part of the meal."

"It really is," her sister teased. Jesse rolled her eyes at her family; they really enjoyed torturing her far too much. The situation didn't get any better either because her father began recounting embarrassing tales from her youth. This was why she hadn't wanted Effy to come to dinner; there were some things about her that the brunette really never needed to know, her mortifying crush on Sabrina the teenage witch being one of them.

"I think I need more wine," she groaned as Jude wrecked his brain for another story to tell.

* * *

"Katie's going shopping tomorrow," Emily told her girlfriend as they lay on her bed pretending to watch TV.

"Oh," the blonde worried she was about to be asked to accompany the twins on a shopping trip.

"With Leah," she elaborated. Naomi felt relieved.

"That's great," she smiled enthusiastically; anything that meant she didn't have to go shopping with Katie was great. "It's not?" she asked when it seemed her reaction wasn't the one the red head had desired.

"I guess it is," Emily didn't seem so convinced, "it's just..."

"Just what?"

"I don't know it just seems strange to me," she shrugged, "I mean they hardly know each other."

"Well yeah," the blonde chuckled, "that's sort of how you make friends isn't it? What's the big deal anyway; you never cared who Katie hung out with before."

"I don't care," she replied a bit too quickly, "it's just kind of...weird, that's all."

"Why? Because Katie has a new gay best friend," Naomi giggled, then realised she was right. "That's it isn't it...you're afraid Leah's going to turn Katie gay."

"No," she denied feebly.

"You do realize you're being more than a little bit ridiculous, don't you?" Naomi asked, raising one eyebrow at her girlfriend.

"I am not!" she protested.

"Ems, do you really believe there's _anyone_ who could make Katie Fitch do something she doesn't want to do?"

"Well, no," the younger twin conceded.

"Besides I hardly think Leah is the type of person who would exploit an innocent straight girl for her own pleasure," she added. Granted she didn't really know the girl but she seemed genuinely nice.

"Yeah," Emily nodded, "you're right, you're right." She cringed at her idiocy. Even if she didn't know Leah very well she was sure that Jesse wouldn't be friends with someone like that.

"Personally, I'm glad Katie has a new friend," the blonde said her lips curling into a smile, "if it means more alone time for us."

"Mmm...That's true." Naomi brought her lips to Emily's and all thoughts of Katie vanished from her mind.

* * *

It was the afternoon before Jesse stirred on Saturday, making her way downstairs with bleary eyes and messed up bed hair in search of coffee.

"Hey Gabe," she greeted her friend through a yawn. Leah was sitting at the table flicking through the paper and chatting with Jude. As always she looked fresh faced and was dressed to perfection.

"Good afternoon Miss Hennessy," she looked at her judgementally over her cup of tea, "what time of day is this to be getting up at?"

"Fuck off its Saturday!" Jesse growled at her and took a seat at the table, clutching her coffee like it was her lifeline. "And I was up late last night."

"I bet you were!" the dark haired girl grinned wickedly and Jude blushed a handsome shade of pink.

"I'll just take my paper into the living room and leave you two girls to it," he said hurrying to leave before he heard something he really didn't want to. Jesse and Leah giggled when he left.

"Well I guess no matter how comfortable you are with your daughter's sexuality you'll never be comfortable with your daughter _having_ sex," Leah shook her head.

"I wasn't having sex," Jesse informed her pointedly.

"Yeah, right," Leah rolled her eyes, "you know your Dad has left the room, don't you?"

"Yes I do, but I still wasn't having sex last night!" she explained. "We fooled around, yeah, Effy didn't leave till like 4 this morning but we did not have sex."

"Why not?" Leah was almost outraged at the fact her best friend had a hot girl in her bed and did nothing about it.

"Ever hear of taking things slow?" Jesse scoffed.

"Yeah but come on Jess, you've been flirting together for how many weeks now, there's slow and then there's just plain tormented with build up sexual frustration."

"What are you doing home this weekend anyway? I thought you were trying to avoid Tina at all costs," Jesse asked, trying desperately to steer the conversation away from her sex life.

"I am! I'm not staying at home this weekend, just came into town to meet Katie, we're going shopping," she explained with a massive smile on her face.

"Really?" Jesse was intrigued by this turn of events.

"Yes," Leah was keen to brush over it and pretend it was nothing, "and speaking of avoiding Tina at all costs...Kevin is taking her away next weekend, some pampering session for expectant mums at some hotel...loada bollocks if you ask me but it does mean I have a free house next weekend!" she grinned.

"Nice one!" Jesse nodded her approval, Leah's house parties were always epic.

"I know right..." She was about to continue but was cut off by her phone ringing. She shot Jesse an apologetic look as she brought the phone to her ear.

"Hello?" she greeted the caller brightly.

"I'm very good, thanks, how are you?" she smiled, then stifled a laugh.

"Oh really? That's...good to know," she looked to see if Jesse was listening. She was. She turned her head to the side as though that would prevent the red head from hearing what she was saying.

"I'm sorry but I can't. I've got plans today" she said but it didn't sound sincere at all. Whatever the caller said next was enough to make Leah blush.

"Well that does sound tempting," she exhaled slowly then shook her head, "but I really can't. Like I said I'm busy."

"Well that's just lovely," Leah said sarcastically, setting her phone down after being hung up on.

"Who was that?" JJ asked with a smirk. Leah rolled her eyes.

"Natalie," she sighed.

"You still talk to Natalie?" Jesse was shocked. "Dude she was a freak!"

"I know that! It's not like we're friends or anything, we just have an...Arrangement," she shrugged.

"So that literally was a booty call," she teased. Her eyes widened and her jaw dropped when she realised Leah had turned Natalie down. "And you rejected it...to go shopping with Katie!"

"Yeah, so?" she shrugged, wishing her friend wouldn't make such a big deal out of something so small. Jesse shook her head and laughed.

"You got it bad!"

"I do not!" she protested. "It would have been rude to cancel on Katie at the last minute."

"Oh who are you kidding? You'd cancel on your own mother to get laid...you _have_ cancelled on your own mother to get laid," Jesse reminded her, "What makes Katie so special?"

"Nothing, I've just matured to the point where I realise there's more to life than getting laid," she stuck her nose in the air in an effort to convince the red head but it was unsuccessful.

"No you haven't," JJ shook her head incredulously. "This means your crush on Katie isn't just a physical thing anymore is it?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Leah played dumb.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about," she disagreed smugly. "I think it's cute, your first taste of unrequited love!"

"Ok, firstly it is _not_ love, secondly you don't know that it _is_ unrequited and thirdly I have to go," she said pouting and getting up from the table. Jesse laughed at her expense and got up to walk her to the door.

"Have fun," JJ said in a sing-song voice. Leah pouted to show her displeasure and shouted goodbye to Jude.

"Whatever," the green eyed girl huffed, "just remember to tell your _girlfriend_ and all your other Roundview mates about my party this weekend, I want to see who you're hanging out with these days."

"I will," she promised. "Let me know how your _shopping_ goes."

"You know what...screw you Hennessy!" Leah shook her head and got inside her car, laughing as she drove off. She didn't want to admit it but there might be some element of truth in Jesse's words; she was definitely too excited to be meeting Katie.

* * *

Katie sat in the living room, eyes flicking from the clock to the window and back again repeatedly. The TV was on but whatever was on wasn't holding her attention. It was almost 1, Leah should be arriving any minute now to pick her up for their shopping trip. With every tick of the clock her heart seemed to pound a little bit harder in her chest. It was stupid, really, it was just a shopping trip. There was no reason for the thousand butterflies flapping around in her stomach. There was no reason for her to change 7 times before deciding on an outfit. There definitely was no reason to feel excited. It was just shopping.

The sound of a car pulling up outside stopped both Katie's train of thought and her heart in one go. It took the sound of a slamming door to pull her out of her frozen state. As Leah approached the door only one thought entered her mind. _'Oh no! James!'_ She rushed to answer the door before her pervy little brother had a chance to creep out her new friend. When she got to the door she found him with his grubby little hands on the handle about to open the door.

"Oi!" she called stopping him in his tracks. He turned to face her with a mischievous grin. "That's for me, don't even bother touching it."

"Why? What are you going to do about it?" he challenged her, pulling his most petulant face.

"Open that door and I'll tell dad about you trying out for the netball team!" she threatened him.

"How do you know about that?" he cried out indignantly. Katie put her hand on her hip and gave him an I-know-all look. "Fucking bitch!"

"I know, isn't it great?" she smiled falsely at him and pulled him away from the door. "Now bugger of you little worm."

"You'll pay for this bitch!" James called as he stormed down the hall. Katie rolled her eyes, smoothed down her clothes and opened the door to find Leah looking both confused and amused.

"What was that all about?" she asked, peering around Katie to see James poking his head out from the dining room door.

"Whoa she's fit!" he nodded appreciatively.

"Ugh..." Katie rolled her eyes, "my little brother James, trust me the longer you can put off meeting him the better."

"Ok...I will get to meet him sometime though, won't I?" she asked, intrigued by the young man standing in the hallway in a green leotard and leggings checking her out.

"Not if I can help it," she muttered stepping outside and closing the door behind her. Leah just laughed and linked her arm through Katie's.

"Let's shop!" the dark haired girl grinned.

"Is that your car?" Katie gasped at the pepper white Mini Cooper convertible parked in front of her house.

"Yeah," Leah sighed, "a gift from Daddy dearest," she chuckled wryly.

"You don't seem too happy about it?" Katie noted, climbing into the passenger seat and fastening her seatbelt.

"Well, let's just, money can't buy my love but it sure as hell bought me a nice car for my 18th birthday," she said turning the key in the ignition.

"I see," Katie nodded, sensing this issue was a sore spot for the other girl she didn't press it any further.

"You'll have to come for a drive with me in the summer," she said as they drove down the road, "it's so much better with the top down."

"Yeah," Katie agreed, she couldn't help thinking that driving with Leah would be a completely different experience to all those time Danny had driven her around in his convertible. She could almost see it in her head already; the two of them looking fantastically glamorous wearing sunglasses and scarves round their heads like in old movies, speeding down an open road together. "Yeah, that would be fun."

Shopping with Leah proved to be a very pleasurable experience. It was great not having to listen to Naomi's constant complaining or Pandora's endless inane chatter. The fact that Leah actually understood and appreciated fashion was a massive bonus as well. Every time she complimented Katie's chosen outfit in the changing room it made the brunette feel positively giddy. Leah had to work very hard to behave herself while trying on clothes in the cubicle next to Katie. It would have been all too easy to accidently on purpose barge in on the other girl while she was changing; especially since she was so keen to see the porcelain skin that hid beneath all those fabulous clothes. But she controlled herself. She really liked Katie, even if they would only ever be friends, and she didn't want to spoil their friendship by acting like some kind of sex crazed pervert.

Conversation flowed easily between them as they went from shop to shop; it was like they'd known each other for years. Before long their arms were weighted down with bags and they were both enjoying that high that comes after some serious retail therapy. Even when they were content that they had gotten everything they wanted they continued to browse idly around the remaining shops, neither of them wanting to part ways just yet. It wasn't until the shops began closing up around them that they accepted it was time to go home.

"I had a really great day today, thanks for coming with me." Leah flashed Katie a smile that looked like it belonged in a toothpaste advert.

"Don't mention it! I had a brilliant day too." Katie smiled back. They exchanged a look that lingered for much longer than it should have, that was until Katie broke it off with a cough. "It was nice to go shopping with someone who actually enjoys it for a change. I usually have to drag Emily and Naomi around with me."

"Not anymore, now you have me! Anytime you want to go shopping just give me a call, I'm more than happy to go with you," Leah assured her, then worried that perhaps she'd came on a little too strong. "Anyway, I meant to tell you, my Mum and step-dad are going away next weekend...so I'm having a little party at my house. You have to come!"

"Yeah?" Katie was thrilled at being invited to a party by Leah, especially one that was being held in her house.

"Definitely!" she nodded. "JJ and Effy will be there and I told Jess she could invite some of your Roundview friends as well, so you'll know lots of people there...but you won't really be speaking to them because you'll be spending the whole night with me!" she joked in a self-assured manner that on anyone else would have been unattractive but on Leah it was completely charming.

"You wish," Katie rolled her eyes and grinned. She was getting used to flirting with Leah. It was fun; meaningless but fun.

"I do actually," she winked causing Katie to blush.

They pulled up outside the Fitch household and Katie looked sadly at her house. She kind of wished she lived a bit further away now.

"Well, thanks again for today," Katie said, not wanting to leave the car.

"Anytime Katiekins!" The nickname she hated so much sounded so much better when it was coming from her lips. She gathered up her bags and stepped out of the car.

"I'll see you later then," she said, closing the door behind her.

"See you next weekend," Leah smiled at the thought of Katie at her house party. "But I'll be talking to you before then anyway."

"Alright, bye!" Katie turned and headed up the driveway.

"Bye," Leah mumbled to herself in the empty car. She watched the brunette disappear inside the house and sighed.

"Fuck!" She pinched the bridge of her nose and took a deep breath before putting the car in gear. "I am in big fucking trouble!"


	15. These four walls won't forget tonight

**A/N: **I am truly sorry for the complete lack of updates on my behalf, things been getting in the way and a bad case of the old writers block sort of led to that but hopefully you haven't forgotten about this and here's what happens next if you're still interested! =]

* * *

"Oi Cook!" Jesse shouted across the classroom. It was Wednesday and they were gathered in their form room waiting for Kieran to make sense of the instructions Doug had left him for this week's life skills lesson.

"Girl JJ?" he turned to face her.

"What are you doing this weekend?" she asked.

"I don't know," he shrugged, "it's only Wednesday."

"A friend of mine from my old college is having a party, you up for it?"

"This friend of yours, she as fit as you?" he asked flashing her a cheeky grin.

"Leah's gorgeous!" Jesse rolled her eyes.

"She straight?"

"Unfortunately no," she chuckled. "But I can assure you there will be lots of other single, straight, attractive girls there. And I know for a fact that they love a bad boy."

"Well count me in then," he grinned at the thought of potential shags.

"Do you think there'll be anyone there who will fancy me?" JJ asked hopefully.

"Yeah JJ, I bet there will be," she smiled at the curly haired boy; he was cute in his own right she was sure there would be someone who might consider at least kissing him.

"Well I know Katie's going to be there," she winked at the older twin. "Naomi, Emily, you want to come?"

"Sounds like fun," Naomi smiled.

"Panda?"

"Yeah I love meeting new friends!" she answered excitedly.

"Great well we can meet at Uncle Keith's and go from there," Jesse suggested.

"Don't I get an invite?" Effy asked with a smirk.

"No," Jesse replied flatly. "You're automatically obligated to go because I am going and I say so," she smiled sweetly. Effy just quirked an eyebrow in response. Ordinarily she didn't like being told what to do but she was willing to make an exception in Jesse's case.

"So why did you leave your old school then girl JJ?" Cook asked, realising he hadn't a clue why she had showed up in Roundview this year.

"My old school was run by nuns," she sighed. "When they caught me getting off with a girl in one of the classrooms they expelled me."

"Really?" Cook's jaw dropped as his mind filled with naughty images. Jesse shot him a look that told him in no uncertain terms that she was joking. He was bitterly disappointed.

"Right, well it says here I'm supposed to talk to you about sexual health and the feelings surrounding sex," Kieran interrupted their conversation. "But there is no fucking chance in hell that I'm going to do that. I don't want to know the details of your sex lives any more than you lot would be interested in learning about mine."

That last statement rang particularly true for Naomi who shuddered slightly at the thought.

"So read these bloody leaflets he's made and consider this a free period," he walked around the room dropping pieces of paper on their desks. "Oh and if Doug asks, we had a group discussion about how we think we'll feel after we've had sex for the first time."

"Happy," JJ muttered under his breath.

"Knackered," Cook scoffed.

"Disappointed," Katie offered.

"Ready for more," Emily flashed a filthy grin at Naomi. Katie wrinkled her nose at her younger sister.

"Sober," Effy shrugged.

"Gay," Jesse answered making everyone laugh.

* * *

Saturday night came and Katie and Emily were in their room getting ready. Katie was wearing a charcoal grey casual dress that she had bought when she was shopping with Leah. Leah had told her she looked hot in it and she had decided that was what she would wear the minute she heard about the party. She stood in front of the mirror putting the finishing touches to her make up while Emily stood dutifully behind her waiting to do the same.

"What time is it?" Katie asked impatiently, looking at her sister through the mirror. She was getting pretty fed up with waiting for time to move.

"It is two minutes later than it was the last time you asked me that question," Emily rolled her eyes. "And if you're so concerned about being on time maybe you should let me in the mirror to do my make up!"

"Alright, fine!" she huffed and stepped aside.

"Why are you so worked up about this party anyway?" Emily asked as she worked away in the mirror.

"I'm not," Katie shrugged, hoping she sounded casual. Her sister turned around to give her a disbelieving look and Katie's mouth fell open in indignation. "I'm not!"

"And if I was mum I might believe you," Emily chuckled, "but I'm not. I'm your twin sister Katie; I know when you're lying."

"I'm not lying and I'm not worked up about this party either," Katie insisted. "I just...really fancy a drink that's all."

"Yeah," Emily smirked, "and when you believe that I'll believe it."

Katie glared at her. She definitely liked it better when Emily was shy and quiet and did exactly as she was told when Katie told her to do it. Emily rolled her eyes and fought to control the smug grin tugging at the corners of her mouth.

"Come on then," the younger twin sighed as she replaced the lid of her lip gloss. "Let's go get you that drink."

* * *

They met up with Jesse and the rest of the group, with the exception of Thomas who was working and Pandora who didn't want to go without him, at Uncle Keith's pub where they had a quick drink before heading off to Leah's house. Jesse brought them to a big, detached house in one of the posh estates.

"Your mate lives here?" Cook raised a questioning eyebrow at Jesse as they made their way up the driveway. Katie recognised Leah's car parked near the door and smiled remembering their shopping trip. "Nice one girl JJ! Posh birds always like a bit of rough with bad boys like me!" he nodded giddily.

"Of course they do," Naomi smirked.

Jesse chuckled softly to herself and stepped up to ring the doorbell. Leah looked perfect as ever when she answered the door in grey skinny jeans and a float-y white blouse fixed with a belt to accentuate her waist, or at least Katie thought so.

"Hello!" she smiled brightly at them. "Come on in."

"Leah this is Cook, JJ and Freddie," Jesse introduced her new friends as they walked through the door. "Everyone, this is Leah."

"You were right girl JJ she is fit!" Cook licked his lips as he took her in. He looked her up and down and flashed her his best grin. "You sure you don't fancy swingin' my way for just one night?"

"I'm positive," she chuckled, her eyes flicking towards Katie and back again, hopefully before anyone noticed.

"Can't blame a guy for trying," he shrugged at Naomi who was staring at him incredulously. For once Katie actually agreed with him.

"How about a drink?" Leah asked, in an effort to move both the gathering and the conversation forward. She led them to the kitchen and made the introductions. The four girls sitting in the kitchen were old school mates of Jesse's who greeted her excitedly with high pitched squealing. Every time one of them called her name the male JJ's head would snap around in fear before he realised they were talking to his female counterpart.

"Katiekins!" Leah came up behind the older twin and spoke directly into her ear. Katie jumped although she wasn't sure if the reaction was to the surprise or to Leah's sudden closeness. "Can I get you a drink? What's your poison?"

Katie stared at the other girl and struggled to get her thoughts in order.

"I mean besides raw vodka and wet pussies," Leah winked mischievously. She was clearly flirting, which was good; flirting was a language Katie understood, no matter which sex was using it. She straightened up and locked eyes with Leah, licking her lips slowly before answering.

"Well if I can't have either of those things then whatever you're having is fine," she smiled.

"How about a beer now?" Leah grinned because Katie was flirting back. "And maybe if you're interested a wet pussy later?"

It was lucky for Katie that Leah then walked off to get her a beer from the fridge because she had no idea how to respond to that. Or how to explain the shiver of anticipation it sent down her spine.

"So that's Katie?" Lisa asked appearing as Leah shut the fridge door. "_The_ your-face-lights-up-every-time-she-texts-you Katie?"

"Yes," Leah responded in an un-amused tone, "that's Katie."

"Straight Katie?" Lisa asked doubtfully.

"Yes," Leah sighed impatiently, looking across the room to where Katie was waiting for her drink.

"Are you sure?"

"I hope not!" she raised her eyebrows and grinned as she walked away.

* * *

"So what's your new school like?" Lisa asked enthusiastically.

"It's different," she chuckled. There certainly weren't teachers like Kieran or Josie at Badminton. "I like it though."

"And I see you're fitting in just fine," Christine (another one of her old friends) winked at her. Jesse rolled her eyes in response.

"Speaking of which, what are those boys like?" Charlotte asked.

"Yeah what's the muscle-y one like?" Maria said, staring at Cook and biting her lower lip.

"Cook?" Jesse thought hard about how to answer that. "He's...a loveable bad boy," she chuckled.

"I bet he is," Maria said hungrily. Jesse laughed, at least her promise to Cook would be fulfilled.

"No I like the tall one with the messy hair," Christine nodded in his direction.

"That's Freddie," Jesse informed her. "He's nice even if he is pretty stoned most of the time."

"Even better," Christine grinned.

"JJ, the curly haired one, he's a sweetheart too," she tried to talk him up; hopefully one of them would at least talk to him at some stage tonight. She had a feeling that might make his year. She idly wondered how Leah survived being around these man-eaters all the time. She must be in hell without Jesse there to perve with.

"Here you are," the sultry tones of Effy Stonem sounded in Jesse's right ear as the brunette dropped down beside her on the sofa and handed her a beer. This was the part of the night she'd been both looking forward to and dreading at the same time; the moment when her old friends meet her new (sort of) girlfriend and inevitably interrogate her and send her running as far away from Jesse as possible. At least it was happening sooner rather than later on when they were all drunk.

"Thanks," Jesse smiled at her. "Effy these are my friends from my old school. This is Christine, Lisa, Charlotte and Maria. Everyone this is Effy."

The obligatory 'hey' filtered around the group and all eyes locked on the brunette. Had it been anyone else, they might have felt self conscious under all those appraising stares but not Effy; she was used to being stared at. She sat up straight, a small smile gracing her lips, and reached across to link her fingers through Jesse's.

"So you're JJ's new girlfriend then?" Christine asked, as blunt as ever. Effy looked at Jesse, until now they had evaded this question every time it had came up. They'd been basically living in each other's pockets for two weeks now, ever since they first got together but neither of them had been brave enough to label it yet.

"That's what the word on the street anyway," Effy replied, grinning at Jesse who chuckled.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Maria asked. Effy locked eyes with Jesse and thought for a second before responding.

"I suppose it means, yes," she smiled, never breaking eye contact with the red head. Jesse's smile broadened. That was the first time either of them had actually voiced any sort of confirmation of their relationship. It might have been stupid but it made Jesse's heart flutter a little just to hear the words coming from Effy's mouth (even though she knew they were true anyway).

"That's nice," Charlotte sighed happily. "You're much prettier than her last girlfriend."

"Yeah, a lot less violent too," Effy muttered as an aside to JJ.

"What?" Charlotte's brow furrowed.

"Nothing," Jesse shook her head. She definitely didn't to get into all that tonight; especially since she was so happy right now, with her new girlfriend and everything. "Anyway Eff, these girls were just eyeing up the Roundview boys. Any advice for them on how to pick them up?" she asked trying to steer the topic of conversation away from their budding romance.

"They all have pulses don't they?" Effy joked; well it was mostly a joke. "Don't try and pick them up at all...just sit back and wait. They'll eventually come to you."

"So," Jesse leaned in to whisper in Effy's ear when her friends were suitably distracted, "you're my girlfriend then?"

"Well it would certainly seem that way," Effy replied coolly. "Of course if you're not happy about it..."

The rest of that sentence died on Effy's lips as Jesse pressed her own against them. She couldn't help but smile into the kiss.

"I'm perfectly happy with it," Jesse assured her when they broke apart, as if the kiss hadn't been enough to clarify that fact.

"Good," Effy smirked and brought their lips together once again.

"Oh get a room," Leah called teasingly from across the room. Without breaking the kiss Jesse held her middle finger up in the direction of her friend.

"Charming," the dark haired girl scoffed indignantly.

* * *

It didn't take long for everyone at the party to become suitably intoxicated. That was the way it always went at Leah's house parties, it probably had a lot to do with the fact that she had a nasty habit of opening the part with a round of tequila slammers. It didn't take long for Effy and JJ to decide they wanted to go somewhere a little more private. It wasn't like anyone would miss them anyway, given that Naomi and Emily were engaged in some heavy petting in the corner of the living room. The boys would never have noticed they were gone anyway, even if they weren't currently surrounded by the girls from Badminton who were all very eager to 'get to know' them. The ever observant Leah wouldn't notice either as she'd been spending her entire evening lavishing all of her attention on Katie.

"Shouldn't you be mingling, or something?" Katie asked as Leah poured her another drink. "I mean it is your party after all."

"Yeah, so that means I already know everyone here," Leah pointed out. "I see these people all the time, you on the other hand I don't get to see often enough."

Katie positively beamed at Leah. It was nice to hear someone express that amount of desire to spend time with you. It was also nice to know that Leah felt the same way about their newly developing friendship as she did.

"Of course if you me out of your hair for a bit so you can mingle I don't mind," Leah added, just in case the older twin wanted to get away from her.

"No!" Katie answered, probably a lot faster than she should have. A bright smile lit up Leah's face and she held Katie's gaze for just a little longer than necessary. She just loved looking into those deep brown eyes; they were just so expressive that Leah couldn't help wondering if their owner was aware of how often they betrayed her.

"You know you really should warn your friends about Cook," Katie said, looking across the room to where a small crowd had gathered around the boy. Leah laughed.

"You should probably warn Cook about my friends," she countered.

"I'm sure he can handle himself," Katie rolled her eyes.

"Yes and while he's over there chatting up my friends I get to spend my night with the most beautiful girl in the room. Lucky me!" Leah smiled, looking Katie up and down. The older twin blushed slightly and gave Leah's arm a playful shove.

"Shut up," she scoffed.

"I'm serious!" Leah was enjoying the effect she was having on Katie; that girl looked adorable when she blushed.

"Are you going to give me the grand tour of your house or not?" Katie asked impatiently, trying to change the subject.

"Anything you want Katiekins?" Leah winked and hopped down from the bench she was sitting on. "Where shall we start? My bedroom?"

"Nice try," Katie chuckled, rolling her eyes. "But why don't we start with the rooms downstairs?"

"Can't blame a girl for trying," Leah shrugged and led the way out of the kitchen and into each of the room on the ground floor of her house.

"You have _two_ living rooms," Katie shook her head in disbelief when Leah brought her into the second room; it was as big and as lavishly decorated as the first.

"Not for long, once Tina pops out those twins they're going to need somewhere to play," Leah informed her. "We hardly ever use this one anyway, I mean who the fuck needs two living rooms?"

Katie giggled. Leah was funny, and down to earth enough to admit that having two living rooms was more a status symbol than it was a functional necessity. Those were just a few of the things on the list of things Katie liked about her; it was becoming a very long list.

"And that is officially all of the rooms downstairs," Leah informed her, stepping out of the room and closing the door behind her. She nodded in the direction of the polished wood staircase. "Shall we?"

"Go on then."

"I know there's really only one room up here you're interested in...Mine," Leah said making sure to put some added swing in her step as she ascended the stairs. Leah's room was at the end of the hallway, she turned to face Katie as she opened the door. "The moment you've been waiting for."

"Oh, you wish," Katie scoffed.

"I really do," Leah shot back at her. She flicked the light switch on the wall and her eyes widened when she saw two people shaped lumps in her bed. Katie's mouth fell open, for once in her life Katie Fitch had been rendered speechless.

"Oh for fucksake Jesse I know I told you to get a room but I didn't mean mine," Leah said shaking her head at the two girls who had been caught in the compromising position.

"Well you should have been more specific then, shouldn't you," JJ countered, looking over her shoulder at her audience. Effy's head poked out from under Jesse to do the same.

"Yes," Leah replied sarcastically. "That is definitely the issue here."

Jesse arched an eyebrow at her friend, willing her to take the hint and leave. Leah opened her mouth to voice an indignant comment but ended up just rolling her eyes and backing out of the room, pushing a slightly shell shocked Katie along with her. Outside the room Leah couldn't help but laugh while Katie tried to push what she had just seen out of her memory.

"Well you sort of saw my room," Leah shrugged. "Impressive wasn't it?"

"Definitely," Katie replied sarcastically.

"Yeah, sorry about that, but ya know, Jesse will be Jesse and all that," Leah apologised. Katie was clearly a little taken aback. "Come on, I'll show you the very best part of the house."

Katie followed Leah dumbly back down the stairs and through the kitchen. The dark haired girl grabbed a bottle from a cupboard and led the way through a small utility room out into the garden. It was only when the fresh air hit her that Katie snapped back to life.

"The best part of your house is the garden?" she asked sceptically, she didn't have Leah pegged as the outdoors type.

"No, it's _in_ the garden," she clarified although Katie felt no less confused. Leah brought her to a small shed located at the back of the garden, though the term shed didn't really seem to do it justice; really it was more like a small cottage. Leah opened the door and flicked on the lights to reveal that it was fully furnished with a two-seater couch, an arm chair and a small TV and DVD player.

"I always wanted a tree house growing up," Leah chuckled as Katie took in her surroundings. "I never had one but when we moved here I got the next best thing."

"I think it's a bit better than a tree house," Katie scoffed.

"That's true!" Leah chuckled, dropping onto the soft cushions of the sofa. "It's amazing and far enough away from the house that you can come out here and pretend that you're anywhere else in the world."

"Must be nice," Katie muttered. Living in a house with a twin sister, a pervy younger brother and an intrusive mother, she would kill for somewhere as beautiful and private as this to escape to.

"It's nicer when you have good company," Leah replied, unlike all the other comments she had made during the evening there wasn't a hint of suggestiveness in her voice. Away from the party and the people who would know her well enough to call her up on her growing feelings she allowed herself to be completely genuine and she was rewarded with one of Katie's dazzling smiles. Leah took a sip from the bottle she had taken from the kitchen and passed it to Katie. It was vodka, she knew that much by the way it burned the back of her throat, but it was much more pleasant than vodka, it was sweeter; it tasted like strawberries.

"I should have known someone with two living rooms and a small house in her garden wouldn't be drinking ordinary vodka," she teased.

"Well normally I would, but I thought you deserved something a bit more special than that," she smiled. Again her tone lacked that distinct suggestiveness that Katie usually associated with such statements. The older twin opened her mouth to say something but thought better of it.

"What?" Leah prompted, nudging her softly with her shoulder as she took another swig from the bottle.

"Nothing," she shook her head and grabbed the bottle. Leah eyed her suspiciously but didn't press the issue.

"You should feel privileged, you know?" she said playfully.

"Why's that?"

"Not a lot of people get to see this place."

"Really?" Katie looked a bit shocked. If she had a cool place like this to hang out she'd have her friends around all the time.

"Yes really! Jesse hasn't even been in here," Leah nodded, her eyes locking on Katie's gazing deep into the pools of brown.

"What?" Katie was even more shocked by this news.

"This place is like my sanctuary, I don't like a lot of people knowing about it. It's private...special," she explained softly. She knew she was opening herself up to Katie in a way she never usually did to people she hardly knew but she didn't care. Katie was different; she wanted to let Katie in.

"Wow," she muttered, unable to think of anything else to say. She suddenly felt honoured to be granted access to a place that was so personal to the other girl, a place not even her best friend had been allowed entry to. "So how come I'm the lucky one?"

"Honestly?" Leah drew a deep breath and released it shakily. "I don't really know...I just feel comfortable around you or something, I can't explain it."

"No," Katie murmured. "I know what you mean."

"Forget the fact that you're gorgeous and I'm obviously attracted to you, you're a fucking amazing person Katie Fitch," she bit her lips together and cursed the vodka; it always made her overly honest.

Katie wasn't sure what came over her; maybe it was the sincerity of the compliment, of all the compliments Leah paid her, or maybe it was just the way Leah made her feel but she found herself leaning in, her lips searching until they found the other girl's.

It was quite possibly the last thing Leah was expecting though it was certainly top on her list of things she wished would happen. Her breath hitched slightly and her heart fluttered when Katie lips met hers. It took all of two seconds before she leaned in to reciprocate the kiss.

It was a brief kiss but it was enough to heat up the air in the shed and turn it electric. Both of their hearts were pounding as they looked deep into each other's eyes. They tried but neither of them could find any words to express their feelings. Instead their lips crashed together again, seeking each other out as though they were magnetic. This kiss was more intense than the last, more passionate. They couldn't be sure who made the first move to deepen the kiss but both of them were more than happy when it happened. Katie couldn't help but think that although it was similar, it was nothing like when she had kissed JJ. It was different, much more pleasant and sweeter; she tasted like strawberries.

They parted eventually, only when the need for oxygen overcame them, and offered each other nervous smiles.

"I've wanted to do that for a while," Leah began, knowing she would have to be the one to speak first. "So not that I'm complaining in _any_ way, I'm not I'd quite like to do that again, but what was that?"

"I don't know," she sighed, pulling her still tingling lips back over her teeth. "I just...wanted to kiss you."

"Yeah," she nodded, that much she had figured out for herself. "And?"

"It was nice...I sort of want to kiss you again," she blushed softly at her own admission.

"Good," Leah said before promptly closing the space between them and bringing her lips to Katie's once again.


End file.
